The Crow
by PoisonAngelMuse
Summary: Bratva Captain Oliver Queen has been looking for revenge his entire life. When he can't trust his own family, the Bratva to get it, he finds the answer to all of his problems in Felicity Smoak;a genius hacker who is running for her life from the same object of Oliver's hatred. With an unlikely partnership,The Crow might just find out that light can shine in the darkest place. HEA.
1. The Crow

**The Crow Chapter 1 – The Crow**

**Disclaimer: **We own nothing but our plot and our own characters. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to DC Comics and CW Television. All rights over this idea and its concepts belong to us. This work is intended for the private enjoyment of the reader and is not to be shared on any other sites (besides AO3 and FF) or events without our express permission.

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><p><strong>Summary:<strong> Bratva Captain Oliver Queen has been looking for revenge his entire life. When he can't trust his own family, the Bratva to get it, he finds the answer to all of his problems in Felicity Smoak; a genius hacker who is running for her life from the same object of Oliver's hatred, The Triad. With an unlikely partnership, The Crow might just find out that light can shine in the darkest of places. #BratvaOliver #Olicity #Smut #Violence #PossessiveOliver #RussianMob #AU #HEA

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><p><strong>AN: And we are back!**

**We are so excited to start this new journey with you guys!**

**The Crow will be very different from our previous work – darker and moodier – filled with angst, action, romance and smut! Be prepared! We hope you will all enjoy it!**

**We'd like to dedicate this chapter to a special boy close to our hearts who lost someone special at a young age as well. His lose inspired the use of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, which we do not own and are using for creative purposes.**

**Also I wanted to give you all a heads up! To keep the story truthful, Oliver would speak fluent Russian in many scenes, but as neither one of us speak Russian, all the lines that are in Italics are to be considered spoken in Russian, even though they are written in English. I think it's easier, and we don't have to try to use Google translate or anything like that. Ok?**

**As always, the link for the Polyvore sets are on PoisonAngelMuse profile page.**

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**Music – The Crow by Hurts**

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><p><em>Her frozen hand<br>Takes your breath away  
>As she leads your soul<br>Through the dark  
>You know that she came<br>To break your heart  
>But oh when she moves<br>You fall in love again_

_And she spreads her wings when she's gonna fly, the crow  
>If you make her sing when she's coming she will let you know<em>

_She spreads her wings and they black out the sun  
>You won't her sing and she'll leave when the damage is done<em>

_Cold heart, warm gun, a dying soul  
>Bright eyes, black soul, she'll never let you go<em>

_And she spreads her wings when she's gonna fly, the crow…  
>If you make her sing when she's coming she will let you know<em>

_She spreads her wings and they black out the sun  
>You won't her sing and she'll leave when the damage is done<em>

Oliver Queen stood in his walk-in closet, his calloused fingers moving through a large selection of ties laid out in his dresser drawer. His hand stopped over a dark grey stripped one that matched his suit perfectly. He let the silk tie rest against the top of the dresser as he pulled on his white dress shirt; the cut looking perfect over his strong back, adorned with well cut muscles, tattoos and endless scars. They told a very different story about Oliver Queen. They were proof that he was much more than a billionaire, CEO of Queen Consolidated, playboy and philanthropist. They told the story about The Crow.

Some could say that a bad start in life was what brought Oliver to the path that he was on today. Broken homes and broken families. Lost souls and empty hearts. But it was nothing like that. Oliver had a very happy childhood, a wonderful family and only happy memories of them. He had a regular life as a child, as normal as it could be. He went to school, did his homework, went to bed when his parents told him to, fought with his little sister Thea from time to time and would get into all kinds of trouble that a ten year old only could. He was a happy kid, Robert and Moira Queen made sure of that.

He was born into a wealthy life, a life that brought many privileges and that as a child he never questioned. His father was the founder and CEO of Queen Consolidated, a Fortune 500 company that dealt with a wide array of aspects dealing with industrial manufacturing. They had accounts, factories, and clients all over the world, and with the passing of the years, the family's fortune only grew.

As a child, Oliver would meet countless business associates of his fathers' at parties, galas and functions that he attended with his parents. And yet, out of all these business associates there was only one person whom his father considered a family friend: Anatoly Knyazev.

Anatoly Knyazev was a Russian businessman that worked in the gun-manufacturing sector. He and Oliver's father had met in the early eighties, right after the Soviet Union had fallen apart. They had formed a business partnership that was beneficial for both of them, and as time passed they became great friends. Anatoly would come visit the Queen's at least once a year, always bringing gifts with him, spoiling Oliver and Thea tremendously. As he didn't have any of his own children, he treated the young Queen siblings as his own, loving and caring for them. Anatoly was like an uncle to Oliver, someone that he trusted and cherished. And it was always Oliver's favorite time of the year when his 'Uncle Toly' would come to stay with them for two weeks before going back to Russia. The partnership between Anatoly and Robert Queen worked for almost twenty years.

It all changed with Robert Queen's death.

At the time of the 'accident', as the media portrayed it, Oliver didn't understand what had happened to him and his family. One moment they were driving in his fathers Mercedes, going to have dinner at Thea's favorite Italian restaurant – his father and mother catching up on their day and Thea and himself playing in the back – and in the next moment everything was spinning. Their car was hit, sending them whirling, glass and metal cutting and twisting around them. He could still hear Thea's pained screams and cries. His mother's pleading tears. His father's desperate hands scrambling to free himself and the feel of blood on Oliver's skin. He remembered shaking, trying to breathe through the growing panic and pain in his chest because he was so scared; terrified to the point where he couldn't even move. It hadn't been an accident – they had been pushed off the road by a large SUV. As if that wasn't enough, them being disoriented and stuck in the wreckage, someone opened fire upon them.

Thea was the first one to die; a single gunshot in the chest, making the world a bit less brighter at the lose of her happy and bright six year old nature. His mother was next; the gunshots went through her as if she was made of paper, the red copper of her blood staining her creamy silk blouse and the dash in front of her. His father was the last one, his wounds making it impossible for him to fight back or struggle before a shot to the head finished him off. The small pop of the shot and his father's head falling to the side where the last things that Oliver heard or saw before his world turned black.

Later he would learn that he had been shot twice, once in the back when he had reached out for his father and once in the chest, the bullet almost hitting his heart. When they had eventually found them and took him to the hospital he had been carted away to the ICU unit where he had flat lined twice. Yet life didn't seem to want him to join his family and Oliver Queen survived. He spent two weeks in a drug-induced haze where he didn't know what was happening or where his family was.

When he finally woke up with a clear head, the room was filled with strangers and attorneys discussing matters that they thought he wouldn't understand. He heard words like 'sole heir' and 'worth billions' float by him and he understood. Oliver Queen was now the sole survivor of the Queen family, and as such the heir of billions of dollars. But none of that mattered when he came upon the startling conclusion that he was now completely alone in the world. His mom, his dad, his little sister…gone. None of the attorneys noticed when Oliver's breathing hitched and tears began to stream down his face; the ten year old feeling as if his small world were collapsing inward and being replaced by the pain and agony of knowing that his entire family was gone, and that there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't know how long he lay there trying to comprehend what was going on. Just as his tears were turning into sobs, he felt a warm comforting hand grip his shoulder. He looked up and for the first time since he'd awoken, Oliver felt hope.

'_Uncle Toly,' Oliver sobbed, as he wrapped his arms around the older man._

'_Ollie,' Anatoly whispered sadly as he held Oliver in his arms. ' Are you ok?' the older man asked, his Russian accent strong and familiar, bringing comfort to Oliver in his most painful moment._

'_They're all gone. They're gone. How can they all be gone? I…I don't understand. There was so much blood,' Oliver sobbed, his tears soaking Anatoly's suit as his mind began to flash back to the last moments in the car. 'I'm alone. I have no one. I want my mom! I want Thea! I want my dad!' Oliver cried out as Anatoly tried his best to comfort the young broken boy._

'_That is not true Ollie. You are not alone. You have me, my boy. You will always have me,' Anatoly reassured Oliver as he ran his hand over Oliver's head, rocking the fragile boy's body in a calming motion, 'You've got me.'_

'_I do?' Oliver asked as he pulled back slightly to peer up at Anatoly with the innocence and hope that only a child would possess, his eyes still filled with tears._

'_I promised your father that I would always take care of you. And that is what I am going to do. I promise you Oliver, I will always be here for you. We are going to be each other's family, ok?' Anatoly said, softly wiping away Oliver's tears with his large hands._

'_Ok, Uncle Toly,' Oliver whispered, softly nodding as he rested his head against the older mans chest. His arms tightened around the man and he tried to focus on Uncle Toly's hand running soothingly over his head; pushing all the bad thoughts away. He couldn't understand what was happening but with his uncle maybe he wasn't all alone like he thought._

'_I will protect you with my life, Oliver,' Anatoly promised as he kissed Oliver's blonde hair, a sea of tears pooling in his green eyes, 'It will be alright.'_

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><p>Anatoly's idea of protecting Oliver was to take the little boy with him to Russia, thousands of miles away from the place he used to call home and all the memories it held.<p>

Anatoly and his older sister Raisa raised Oliver in Moscow. Raisa had her own children, that were adults, and Oliver's presence brought a new sense of meaning to her life. Oliver fell instantly in love with the older Russian woman, her warm and gentle nature coming through even though they had some communication problems at first. Oliver learned to love her like a mother with every all encompassing hug, heartfelt meal and soothing bedtime story to fight off his nightmares. And while Raisa helped Oliver by giving him the maternal figure that he needed, Anatoly supplied him with the stern father figure. While not as vibrant and involved with his son's life as Robert was, he was very involved with Oliver's development in Russia. He made sure that he taught Oliver Russian, that he knew about the life and history of Russia through rigorous home schooling and how to survive on his own with a strong set of morals that Anatoly hoped would guide him into adulthood. With them, Oliver finally felt safe again and the three of them became Oliver's small family.

Back in the United States, the 'accident' that killed the most powerful man in Starling City, was a media circus. While Oliver worked to get past the grief of the lose of his family and rebuild in Russia, months later the tragedy was still used to sell all sorts of magazines and newspapers. Anatoly protected Oliver from the aggressive media from Starling City, which was made much easier since Moscow was on the other side of the world and Anatoly lived on an isolated estate where Oliver's companions were his guards, Raisa, and his Uncle Toly.

Another thing that Oliver had no clue about while in Russia was the status of his families company. Queen Consolidated had been set in the care of Robert Queen's old friend and CFO, Walter Steele. The British man would act as the active CEO until Oliver became of age and stepped up as CEO. He made sure that the Queen's family heritage would be taken care of and that the Queen family lawyers secured Oliver's trust fund until he turned 21 years old.

When Anatoly finally sat him down and told him about his families legacy being secured until he could take the reins he was happy to a certain extent. To a ten-year-old Oliver, the dynamics of billion dollar transactions and all its complexities was the last thing he wanted to hear about and to a certain degree he didn't care. To Oliver, all that he mattered and that was important to him, was that Anatoly would take care of him like he promised. And for years that was enough for Oliver.

Until it wasn't anymore.

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><p>It took Oliver a while to fully understand what his father and Uncle Toly did for a living. Not that QC wasn't a real company, it was. It had more than twenty thousand employees all over the world to prove it. But it was so much more than that.<p>

The first time Oliver heard about 'money laundering' it was on the news a few months before his family was killed. At the time he thought it was boring as most things that he saw on the news and went back to his G.I. Joes while his mom and dad exchanged heated glares at one another over something or the other and Thea colored.

It was a while before he heard it again, not because it wasn't a common occurrence in Russia, because it was, but because he didn't understand Russian enough at the time. Being a quick learner he breezed through a lot of his lessons with Anatoly and by the age of 13 he knew enough to understand and hold a full conversation. One day as he was walking the halls of his 'new' home he happened upon a conversation he shouldn't have heard. He listened to Anatoly and one of his business associates, Sergei, heavily discussing something that was clear as day and cleared a lot of things for Oliver: Queen Consolidated was a front for money laundering for the Solntsevskaya Bratva.

Oliver had been shocked at first. He'd known about the Bratva from a distance, thinking of it as a distant danger that existed somewhere beyond the walls of his home in a secluded space he'd never see. The Bratva was the biggest and most powerful crime syndicate of the Russian mafia. The group had been taking charge of all Russian criminal activities since the late eighties and even though it was an extremely violent organization; it still lived by a code and the trust of its brotherhood.

After that incident he made it his personal mission to see if he could catch his Uncle Toly talking; trying to piece together what the heck was going on and what it had to do with his Uncle. He found out that Anatoly Knyazev, one of his father's best friends, the man that had raised him after his entire family was murdered, the man that used to stay with him the entire night when Raisa's stories wouldn't chase his nightmares away and Oliver was too scared to fall asleep, the closest thing he had to a father…was the leader of Bratva.

During this particular listening/stalking session the door he'd been leaning on opened up and he was caught.

"_Oliver_!" Anatoly said, his tone filled with frustration and something else, something that Oliver couldn't exactly pin point. He did understand one thing though…the older man wasn't happy with him.

"_Uncle Toly_," Oliver said, his breathing coming quick and his eyes slightly scared as he was caught listening in on things he shouldn't have been.

"_You should be in bed already_," Anatoly stated, rubbing his hand against his dark beard, as Oliver visibly gulped, "_You know the rules, Oliver_."

"Yes, uncle," Oliver said quickly, his eyes moving down in shame. He'd wanted to listen in and learn more but he didn't want to get caught. Neither did he want to make his uncle angry with him.

Anatoly and Sergei exchanged a long glance, and a silent conversation happened between the two Russians. With a nod of his head, Sergei stood up and exited the room, disappearing from sight. Anatoly took a deep breath and put a hand on Oliver's shoulder. He gave it a small squeeze as his eyes flickered over Oliver's face.

"_Come, Oliver. It's time_," Anatoly muttered, the words tasting like ashes in his mouth. He always thought he would have more time; that Oliver would be able to keep some of his innocence. He was wrong.

"_Time for what_?" Oliver asked, his voice low and questioning. He didn't know what was going on or if he was in trouble; that much was clear.

Anatoly gave Oliver's shoulder another gentle squeeze as he coaxed him to turn and walk to the door. He knew that the boy that Oliver Queen was, would be gone after today. But he didn't have any other choice. It was the only option to keep him safe because he probably knew too much already. It was better to bring the boy in than letting him run around without a true understanding of what was happening in their lives.

Oliver let Anatoly guide him.

"_Time for you to learn the truth. It's what you were hoping for, wasn't it_?" Anatoly asked as Oliver gulped nervously, not sure what to say to his uncle, "_You are a man now, Oliver. It's time for you to learn the family business. Let's go_."

They walked side by side in the stone mansion that they lived in, through a long corridor and into Anatoly's office. He pushed a bookcase to the side and opened up a hidden door. Oliver took everything in as they walked down three flights of stairs he'd never known about. It became darker and colder the further they went down. The air was humid, and Oliver knew they must have been in a very deep and well-hidden basement. They were in a part of the house that Oliver had never been before that day.

They passed by a couple doors before entering a dark room filled with men that Oliver knew worked with his uncle. He had seen them quite often, walking around the house, guarding the front gate and grounds. He even saw some that were on what Anatoly liked to call his 'protection detail.' They all had a dark look on their faces, like all light had disappeared from their eyes, and flushed cheeks as if they'd rushed down to the room. They were all armed, stocky and deferred to Anatoly when he entered the room with a nod of their end. Oliver realized that this was it. This was Bratva.

He felt like their grim expressions were because of him.

They stepped further into the room and stopped in front of what looked like a jail cell with stonewalls and floors. It was made of iron bars and had a bed made of used newspaper in a corner. When he peered inside he caught movement. Curiosity won him over and he stepped closer to the bars. Inside there was a man, dirty, bloody and beaten to a pulp. He had cuts and bruises all over his body, and one of his eyes was swollen shut. The man tried to speak, but he couldn't form any words. Oliver felt fear grip him tight as he realized that his tongue had been cut off. He stood frozen, looking down at the bloody man, not able to fully absorb that the man that he considered a father, probably was responsible for the state of this broken man.

Anatoly, realizing Oliver's clear fear and shock, decided that it was time for the young boy to know the ways of the brotherhood.

"_You see this man_?" Anatoly asked, looking at the pleading man on the other side of the iron bars.

"_Yes_," Oliver whispered, his body shaking. He couldn't believe that this was going on beneath his feet while he slept, ate, and ran the halls upstairs.

"_This man put our family in danger, Oliver. He was selfish, and he chose himself over the brotherhood. He is a rat_," Anatoly accused, pointing at the man. The man seemed to shake even harder, now falling down on his knees, "_And I told you, I will always do whatever it takes to protect this family_."

Before Oliver could even think of a reply and before he could ask what the heck was going on, Anatoly took a gun from inside his heavy winter coat and quickly shot the man in the head.

The man's body fell over with a thump, blood spraying against the wall behind him. Oliver gasped, voice stuck in his throat, fear and desperation now filling his body. He was terrified. How could his uncle kill a man in cold blood just like that? What was going on?

Anatoly put the gun back inside his coat like it was no big deal that he had just killed a man, and not only that, but also in front of the closest thing he had to a son. Oliver felt like he couldn't breathe as tears of frustration, confusion and shock started to pool in his eyes. He just couldn't understand why this was happening. The Bratva was a distant concept that didn't happen to people like him. It couldn't be actually here in his home and in his life.

"_That is how we deal with traitors in this brotherhood_," Anatoly clearly said, his voice cold and detached, as he looked around the room. All eyes were on Anatoly and him. If possible, Oliver became even more afraid; the kind of fear that freezes your emotions and puts a pause on everything. If it truly was the Bratva then this was a crucial moment for his uncle and Oliver. The brotherhood did not take kindly to the weak, and Oliver was going to be Anatoly's heir, somehow he knew that. In this moment he had to show that he was a man. That is what his uncle meant by it being his time. He had to be a man to be one of them…to survive.

"_Do you understand that, Oliver_?" his uncle said, tone leaving no room for Oliver to doubt or question what he meant even though his words had been presented as a question.

Oliver steeled himself and looked up at the man that had watched him, taken care of him for the past couple of years; the man he now associated as a father. He didn't see his uncle at that moment. He saw a stranger. A stranger who was telling him to choose if he wanted to join this brotherhood he never even knew he was destined for.

"_Yes, uncle_," Oliver said, holding back a sob. He had to say yes.

"_Yes, what_?" Anatoly said, his voice harsh; further proof that things weren't what Oliver believed them to be or thought anymore.

Oliver pulled his eyes from the man's slumped body and focused in on his uncle. He felt wound up, shaky but most of all horrified, at the turn his eavesdropping had taken. "_Yes, sir_," Oliver corrected, holding back the tears that wanted to pool in his eyes as he tried not to picture the dirty cell right next to him, blood painted on its walls.

"_Good_," Anatoly said proudly, patting Oliver on the back as all the other man watched and nodded in acceptance. Oliver had passed the test…but he felt something break inside of him as if he'd lost something in the last ten minutes; a part of whom he was, "_Welcome to the brotherhood, Oliver_."

That night, Oliver realized that the first piece of his soul died with that stranger, on that cold, dirty stone jail. That night he was longer the boy know as Oliver Queen. That night he was Bratva.

Never again, did he call Anatoly 'Uncle Toly'.

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><p>After that night Oliver's life changed completely.<p>

Anatoly now treated Oliver more like an official member of Bratva than part of his own family. Oliver's time was now filled with schedules, meeting and tasks to complete. And as each day passed, he lost more and more of the young boy that he once was. Long gone were the hours spent chatting with Anatoly over the newest thing he'd learned. Long gone were the hours spent baking and laughing with Raisa. Long gone were the endless hours riding his bike or playing video games. Long gone were the days of daydreaming of what he'd do when he got older. Those days were now replaced with self-defense classes, Bratva structure and on how to use a gun. The kid in him was long gone. He was now treated as a man.

After his introduction to Bratva the biggest change in his life, besides how he was now treated, was his education.

He was enrolled in a private school for 'all Bratva sons'. Anatoly liked to say that it was for Oliver's security and for his own benefit, but he knew that it was just another excuse for him to not know anything outside the world of Bratva. So he had moved from homeschooling to a private school where the teachers were part Bratva, where the students would soon be part of Bratva and where all that everyone was concerned about was Bratva. He took normal courses such as Mathematics and Classic Russian Literature, but he also learned special things such as how to work with explosives and how to create and maintain a fake identity with fake passports, fake birth certificates and even fake credit cards. It was an education that honestly was the furthest from what he would have learned in an American high school environment.

In the beginning he had thought of distancing himself from what it meant to be Bratva. Try to deny it, fail his classes, not try learn their ways. But then he would think about that man in that cell under his home. If Anatoly did that without an inch of remorse in front of Oliver, then he didn't know what he'd do to Oliver if he refused this great honor. To top it off Oliver learned that the Bratva were more than a brotherhood of murders and thieves. They were a brotherhood that expected for high-ranking children as him to take over the reins of responsibility when their parents/guardians passed away or couldn't handle the burden. That is why the Bratva School was so important.

He and his colleagues were the ones that were expected to rule the brotherhood one day. But being the godson of the Bratva leader didn't make Oliver's life any easier; in fact, it only seemed to make things worse. Bullying came from unending sources, and it was considered something usual, a way to 'strengthen' a young man into defending himself against the everyday dangers that he would experience in Bratva. Oliver was beaten and humiliated by his peers for months. It only took one look from Anatoly, when Oliver told him of his beatings, for him to realize that he was on his own in this. That Anatoly was ok with it and that Oliver had better defend himself and not embarrass Anatoly.

He bit back hard the next time they came after him. But of course, it was nearly impossible to fight back when it was one against ten; the odds not in his favor. It was when he was down on the floor, blood running down his nose and into his mouth, with his hands trying to protect his head the best he could from punches and kicks, that Slade Wilson came into his life.

Slade was two years older than he was, and much taller and stronger, and for some reason he decided to help Oliver out. In a sea of Bratva rivalry he somehow decided that Oliver was worth helping.

Slade beat down three of the teens that were thrashing Oliver, before the others decided to let go and run from the tall and very imposing figure that Slade set. As Oliver lay there, spitting blood from his cut lip and bleeding nose, he wondered why Slade would stop them when no one else had. He wondered what it would cost Oliver for such assistance. But when he asked Slade the answer was simple: Slade had been in Oliver's place not so long ago.

Slade was an Australian whose father had been a part of the brotherhood. His father had been a mercenary that worked along with Bratva for many years until he died protecting Anatoly from a heist. Feeling a debt with the Wilson's, Anatoly took Slade into his inner circle, and the young man was now preparing to officially join Bratva. That however, caused quite a commotion among the students and for a long time Slade had been a victim of numerous attacks. A combination of puberty and learning how to defend himself rather quickly made it so that he gained a reputation in a matter of months. No one messed with Slade Wilson. And if the glare that he sent the scattering students said anything, no one would mess with Oliver as well.

"_You ok there, Kid_?" Slade asked, offering his hand to help Oliver off the floor.

"_I'm fine_," Oliver said, even though his ribs were aching and he could barely see from his swelling right eye. He didn't need Slade to think he was weak too.

"_You don't look fine to me_," Slade said with a small chuckle as the skinny 14-year-old boy tried to get up on his feet.

"_I've had worse_," Oliver ground out, stumbling/walking towards the bathroom sink to wash the blood off his face and check for damage. It wasn't as bad as he expected it to be.

"_So I've heard_," Slade countered, making Oliver cringe. Everyone seemed to know that he was constantly beaten. Everyone seemed to also know that Anatoly's heir wasn't strong enough to defend himself even when he tried. Oliver knew that his uncle wanted him to be able to defend himself, to be strong and independent. He always said how a Bratva Leader needed to be strong, immovable. And as Oliver looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, cataloguing his injuries, he realized he desperately didn't want this anymore. He didn't want to be pushed from all sides and just follow the flow of things. He wanted to be strong and immovable just like his uncle wanted. A force to be reckoned with so no one would hurt him again.

Oliver cleared his face before turning and offering a hand to the imposing and waiting figure behind him, "_I'm Oliver Queen_."

"_Slade Wilson_," he replied, shaking the younger man's hand.

"_So I've heard_," Oliver said, making Slade chuckle again at having his response thrown right back at him. Everyone knew who Slade was.

Slade gave him a once over again and Oliver wanted to cringe. He looked like a mess and he knew it, but he held his ground. "_So, are you ready to stop being beat up by those punks on a daily basis? Ready to stop practically kissing the bathroom floor_?" Slade asked Oliver, and for the first time in a long time, Oliver actually smiled even though it hurt like hell when it split his lip again.

Someone was actually offering to help him. And not just because he was Anatoly's heir or because they wanted something. An unlikely friendship grew between them from that moment on. Slade helped Oliver to become stronger, faster and better than his peers. They ran, trained, lifted weights and spent most of their free time together. With his companionship and teachings, Oliver's grades became to climb and surpass all the others at the school and no one ever messed with him again. They would continue this unlikely relationship for years to come, as Slade was Oliver's only friend in Russia. And without his friend fighting with him, helping him, saving him, he wouldn't become the man Anatoly handed the reins to in the future.

It came to pass that there was only one man that Oliver trusted with his life. And that man was Slade Wilson.

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><p>By the time he was 16, he was stripped of all the nuances of being a youth. He was colder and reserved. He was more calculating and could pick up on even the tiniest fluctuations of a persons nature. He was also more cut off from the world. All that he knew was Bratva and how to survive its challenges and politics. Things had changed ever since he became friends with Slade. He was feared by his peers and not challenged as much as he was when he started in Bratva School. And when he was, he always landed on top.<p>

Anatoly was extremely proud of the progress that he had made in his studies and in the ranks of Bratva. They never gained back the companionship and trust they had when Oliver was a child but they gained something else, the trust of the brotherhood and his position as the next Bratva captain if anything were to happen to Anatoly. He would be lying if he said he didn't miss the times of his youth, the innocence that he once held, but he couldn't get it back. He had to keep on moving forward. Keep on learning to be able to protect himself because no one else was going to do it.

That's what led to where he was now. A bar in one of the Bratva districts.

When he was at school he mainly kept to himself. Slade was his constant companion but he spent some time with others at Bratva School. He didn't like his peers but he understood that he at least needed to pretend to want their friendship to a certain extent as he was going to be the next Bratva captain and loyalty was key. That and fear.

With his new sense of control at school his peers fell into line behind him. And he was able to have some of these close 'peers' as companions when Slade was not available or on a Bratva mission. So when these companions started acting strange he noticed almost immediately. For the past couple weeks they had gone from fearing him and following his lead to being…inviting and personable.

Being as sharp and clever as he was he saw past their less harsh mannerisms, their watching eyes and their invitations to hang out after their classes. He waited for weeks to play whatever card they were holding onto. And it all came to a crescendo when they invited him to go to a known Bratva bar. Invitations like this were not unheard of in Bratva, the youth going out to clubs and bars often. What was unheard of was the next Bratva captain going to a common Bratva bar.

Obviously Oliver had to go when they invited him. There was something going on right under his nose and he was going to figure it out. Even if he had to do it on his own since Slade was off doing Bratva business.

He tells them yes, that he'll accompany them, hiding the fact that he's watching and listening as they head out. He feels it in his bones that something is wrong when Anatoly's guards don't stop them or question them as they left the house or walked the streets. He becomes even more curious and cautious as they enter the Bratva bar. His companions shout with glee as they find a table and order drinks, moving Oliver along with them without touching him. No one touched him.

He settled into the bar with his back to the wall, noting all the patrons and the exits of the bar. For being his first bar it was exactly what he expected; sleek bar top that ran along the entire side of the bar with an array of tables and chairs opposite of it. He noted that the crowd was relatively young, filled with people that looked like they were in their early twenties. His companions ordered them drinks and all the while Oliver kept an eye out. He watched his companions. He watched his drink. He watched the crowd. And he waited.

Twenty minutes into pretending like he was having an 'all right' time, because a future Bratva captain didn't outwardly act jovial and happy, a group of girls came over and joined them. Being sixteen had made it so that with a smile and a simple touch of their hands, he was distracted for only a couple minutes. He was just beginning to talk to a small brunette, when a man approached him. He had looked admittedly nervous, eyes wide and clothes askew, when he approached Oliver.

"_So you're the little punk who did it_!" the man accused in broken Russian, some of his pronunciations slightly off, as his hands shook. He was dressed in a grey suit with small rips on his knees and bruises on the right side of his face.

Oliver glanced back at his companions in question but they all had their eyes on the man in front of them, practiced confusion on their faces. His hands gripped the table and he narrowed his eyes slightly. This is what he was waiting for all day. Placing his hands on the lapels on his jacket he ran his thumb over the inseam that held a hidden blade. He was ready.

When he turned to the man it seemed like he was ready too, a knife already in his hands and his face lit up with anger before yelling, "_It's you! You are the one! Now it's your turn!_"

Oliver felt himself tense as he slowly stood, ignoring the girls and his companions, as his fingers slowly curled over the blades handle. This challenge had come out of nowhere, but was clearly connected to the strange behavior of his companions and the night in general.

Without a second thought to the group of companions behind him watching or the entire bar who had suddenly turned to watch the situation, the man jumped towards Oliver with his knife raised. Oliver grabbed the man's arm just in time and swiveled it behind his back, whipping out his own blade and pressing it up against the man's throat. A threat was on the tip of her tongue when the man slammed his head back into Oliver's and effectively disoriented him. He fumbled backwards into his table as the man came towards him again, eyes crazed. Without a second thought Oliver pivoted to the left, sending the man past him and into the table occupied by his companions. They all jumped up in shock and the girls screamed as their drinks were knocked over them.

The turn of events only seemed to infuriate the man and he came at Oliver again. He lashed out at him, but Oliver stepped to the side again and cleanly avoided the man, sending him crashing into an empty table and overturning it. He squared his shoulders and clenched his jaw as he circled the man.

"_I don't know who you think I am_," he spoke in a flat voice, noting the eyes on him. They were always on him, "_Or what you're trying to achieve. But I am not him and I will not be taken down by a man like you._"

"_I know exactly who you are!_" the man shouted back as he got to his feet, "_And I have to take you down_."

Still gripping his blade in one hand he grabbed a half empty vodka from a table, holding it by its neck. The man's desperate nature and words confused Oliver but not enough to make him stop. He swung the bottle at the man's head when he tried to come at Oliver again. It hit the man's head with a sickening thud but the man didn't go down. He shook his head as if trying to shake the pain off before going after Oliver once more, this time swinging his arm and slicing the air by Oliver's stomach.

On instinct he tucked his belly back and slugged the man with his blade arm. All he remembered was the quick sound of parting flesh and the choked out sound that the man made before he dropped to the ground. He felt like he'd been put back into his body for the first time that night, seeing everything clearly for what it was. The man was clutching at his neck where Oliver had managed to lodge his blade, blood pouring out as if the blade was a spout.

For the first time in years it wasn't Bratva Oliver Queen, future heir and captain, staring down at someone who wanted to hurt him. It wasn't the man who had learned to be cold and calculating because it was necessary for his survival. It wasn't the man who'd promised that he wouldn't be weak again. It was Oliver, the boy who loved reading books with Raisa and who fought nightmares off with his Uncle Toly's hand running comforting fingers through his hair.

It was as if he was in a tunnel, world devoid of sound as he saw the man shake, hands lazily pushing at his neck before simply stopping. He wasn't moving. He was lying there on the ground, his own knife still in hand and eyes open as blood pooled out underneath him.

Oliver couldn't move from his spot. His body ran cold as he realized what he'd just done. He'd killed someone.

One of his companions came out of nowhere and rushed to the man, checking for a pulse. He looked up at Oliver and shook his head. Oliver couldn't help but stare at the pool of blood coming closer to his shoes with every second that passed. The man was dead. Oliver had killed him.

Dropping the bottle he looked down at his hands. They were drops of blood on his hands and forearms, his skin smeared red. He looked up, remembering where he was. Everyone was looking at him. Everyone had stopped moving, stopped drinking as they watched Oliver Queen stand over the body of the man he'd just killed. And no one was scared. No was screaming. No one was calling emergency services. They were just watching.

Not understanding what the hell was going on, Oliver bolted to the bathroom. He needed to get this blood off his hands. He'd killed someone. Out of nowhere a man had come and approached him…attacked him…and then Oliver had killed him. This had to be it. This had to be why his companions had been so adamant for him to come with them to this bar. Somehow it had to do with that man, Oliver was sure of it but couldn't understand why. Was it a challenge? Did they want to take him down a notch in question of his leadership in the future?

He felt the guilt creep in as the man's last gasping breathes came to him…the way that he had laid there as his life pooled around him, soaking into his ripped suit. He had no other choice but to defend himself against the angry man. But that didn't erase or excuse the fact that Oliver had spilled that life. He had used the training and skills he had gained at school to end the life of a living and breathing person.

His hands shook as he saw that some of that same life was under his fingernails. He started to wildly scrub at his hands, wanting to get rid of the evidence of what he'd down when the bathroom door opened behind him. He wheeled around to yell at the person, to tell them to leave, when his eyes widened at who stood there. It was Anatoly. He was smiling.

"_Well done my boy_," Anatoly said, still smiling as he came over to Oliver and placed his hands on his shoulders, "_You did it_."

"_Did what_?" Oliver asked, clearly confused.

"_Your first kill_," Anatoly replied back like the proudest father as he started to explain.

Oliver felt disgust and anger begin to course through him.

Hands still covered in blood and cuts, Anatoly explained how Oliver had passed his test with flying colors. How Oliver was now a man for killing the man that lay in the other room. How his companions had complied with orders to bring him here. How the man was sent to him because he owed a debt and if he killed Oliver the debt would be cleared. It had all been a plan. That's why no one in the bar, including his companions, had freaked out when he'd killed the man. It was all part of some plan to see if Oliver was worthy. And by the smile on Anatoly's face, he was more than worthy for defending himself and ending that desperate man.

According to Bratva law, that night Oliver had established himself as a killer capable of carrying on the Bratva name. He'd established himself as no longer a boy, but a man who would kill anyone who came after him without a second thought with the prowess and agility of a strong future leader.

That night had been his true first step in becoming The Crow.

* * *

><p>With his first step in becoming The Crow he learned some harsh truths, things hidden from him in his youth. Things that Anatoly thought he couldn't handle in the past but that he could handle now; the truth of his family's death. Anatoly hadn't gone into detail but he had told Oliver that the Triad had been responsible for his family's death. A longstanding rivalry for control with Bratva that had left the Queen family dead and Oliver Queen an orphan.<p>

Oliver had been enraged when he found out, wanting Anatoly to tell him who it was so he could tear them apart. But Anatoly held still and told Oliver to control himself, to channel his anger while he dealt with the Triad. While he 'handled' them. So that's what he did. He channeled all his anger, all his loneliness, all his helplessness into becoming better, faster, harder to one day take care of Triad himself, no matter what Anatoly said.

He became something else after these harsh truths and his first kill, his second kill, his third kill…someone brand new. The last traces of the young boy that loved to chase his little sister in the mansion gardens, that would sleep with his mothers favorite book under his pillow, that chatted with Raisa about happy endings, was long gone. There were no happy endings in this life. Only endings for the ones he killed.

As the years passed he lost himself even more and became something his mentor, Anatoly, lovingly called 'The Crow'.

Killing became easier as he let go and pushed aside any kind of guilt or remorse he ever had. He became more distant from his humanity, more skeptical and withdrawn from others, and more respected/feared as the days passed. With each killing, with each bullet and each beating, he would turn further and further from the man he could have become. It came to a point where he didn't even know if there was anything left of the boy he was before.

For Bratva, for the brotherhood, for Anatoly…Oliver lost who he was.

And as it turned out Bratva saw Oliver as one of the best soldiers they'd ever had. The darker, distant and more critical man was an excellent killer, precise and efficient. He became one of Bratva's most loved sons and Anatoly couldn't be prouder. He was the heir of the brotherhood, and he was truly unstoppable because he would do anything that his leader told him to in his quest to bury and destroy his last traces of guilt and find out the truth of his family's death.

The soon to be Captain became Bratva and Bratva became him by the time he finished school and started active duty with the Bratva. He became a man that danced with death. A man that not even Hell wanted. A man where all that was left was The Crow.

* * *

><p>Oliver lived with Anatoly and Raisa in Moscow for fifteen years. When the time came for him to finally go back to Starling City, he was 25 years old and a powerful and respected Bratva Captain ready to take over the reins.<p>

For Anatoly it was the perfect time to re-connect with all Bratva business in America and to finally be able to use Queen Consolidated again to its full capacity. While Walter Steele had made the company thrive during the years as a legitimate business, he wasn't Bratva, and he had no idea what Anatoly had planned for it.

Isabel Rochev had been the one to deal with Bratva business at Queen Consolidated after Robert Queen's death. An obedient Bratva daughter, she had kept the money-laundering going in an inconspicuous and efficient manner. She had contained the money laundering to a lesser capacity than when Robert Queen was alive. And now that Oliver was going back to claim his place as CEO of QC and heir of the Queen fortune, Bratva would finally be able to reclaim its territory from the Italian and the Chinese mobs that had thrived in the past fifteen years of their absence.

Oliver was more than ready to rule the American branch of Bratva. He had been preparing for it since he was a child, and finally he would reclaim everything that belonged to him and more. But most of all, it was time for him to claim what he desperately desired. What he thought about every time he killed, every time he followed an order, every time he sat down and listened to Anatoly drone on and on about the Bratva way of life. What he had truly desired and had been denied to him on every front.

Revenge.

* * *

><p>To the Starling City media, the return of Oliver Queen was like the return of a member of the royal family. The landing tracks entrance for his private plane was filled with press, and they all wanted a piece of the young heir of the billion-dollar company. They wanted to know who he was since no one had seen the young man for fifteen years, as he was kept secluded in Russia with no contact with the place he'd been born in. So no one knew exactly what to hope from the only remaining member of the Queen family.<p>

To the delight of all, he had turned out to be a handsome man. He was about 6 feet tall, with broad shoulders, short blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a square jaw covered with stubble that looked like it had a perpetual 5 o'clock shadow. He had a mysterious and dangerous vibe, and it drove the press and all the women crazy.

It was exactly what he wanted. What Anatoly wanted.

His handsome looks worked in his favor; no one looking past his blinding smiles. No one looked past his gracious manner or the playboy act. No one had any idea what had happened to him in the time that he lived in Russia, Anatoly made sure of it and Oliver made sure no one suspected anything; never breaking character. No one would ever imagine that the young billionaire was a Captain for the most dangerous criminal Russian organization.

As he integrated himself to Starling City and to his families company, he made sure that he used his appealing, gracious and charming playboy manner to his advantage. No matter if it was to get a decision in his favor from one of the many Queen Consolidated board members or to get off from a speeding ticket from a lovely female cop. He kept his act up and slept with an endless array of women – models, heirs of multi-million dollar companies, lawyers, women that attended parties at his club Verdant, cops, and even Isabel Rochev – before Oliver demanded her to be sent back to Russia as he didn't need the woman to babysit him.

He was the Captain and he could do as he pleased.

* * *

><p>Five years later, after he returned to Starling City, Oliver Queen ruled this city in more ways than one. Queen Consolidated was the biggest company in California and one of the top ten in the entire country. Walter had done an amazing job maintaining the company in his absence and Oliver would be forever grateful to the older man. With Oliver's reappearance, Walter was returned to his previous position as CFO – something he deeply appreciated so he could spend more time with his own family. And while Oliver Queen took care of Starling City during the day, The Crow did the same thing during the night.<p>

The Bratva had reclaimed its territory in his home city. And even though it was a delicate balance of letting the gun and drug trafficking business continue to be run by the Italian Mob and the despicable Triad, the money-laundering business was all for them. Anatoly had desired to expand the Bratva business but Oliver knew the complications that some of their business practices in Russia would bring upon them if the American government became aware. So he made the wise decision to leave the Bratva and his families company out of other illegal business, no matter how much Anatoly didn't like it, as he knew that sooner or later the FBI would find a way into those crime sectors. Money laundering was safer, and no one would have any reason to doubt QC or question such a long-standing and trusted business. Besides, the profits were too high and the risks were low, when he compared money laundering against the gun and drug traffic business.

While the community of Starling City respected Oliver as a businessman, philanthropist, and even a playboy, The Crow was feared in every dark corner of the city. No one would see his face or know of his presence until it was too late as he was always hidden in the shadows, watching. But they all knew what he was capable of. The crime lords knew that the Heir of the Demon now ruled Starling City in Anatoly's absence. They also knew that Oliver Queen was behind it, but no one would even dare utter his name or wish him ill will because of what he was capable of.

Oliver didn't even have to get his hands dirty anymore; a select few working for him that he trusted. He had gained this right a long time ago, and he preferred it that way if he could. His decisions were calculated, and not done with passion or hate, but with rationality and clarity. That was what made him so good in at all that he did. He simply was detached from all of it. He was void of emotion, as any Bratva Captain should be.

* * *

><p>Living behind two masks wasn't fun for Oliver.<p>

Being in Starling City was living a double life; a mask for board meetings and another for his nights with Bratva. No one knew him; not really. All anyone saw was smoke and mirrors. But he preferred that way. To show himself was to expose all his weaknesses and he had learned a long time ago during his schooling that he could never show this side of himself. Not if he wanted to survive this life.

Even as he tried to be detached from all kinds of emotion in his new life in Starling City, there was one thing that he never could let go of: his family. Living in the Queen Mansion had been jarring, eye opening. This house had once belonged to his parents, from the intricate marble floors of the foyer to the crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, to the pastel tones of the long halls. Everything looked the same as it had twenty years ago. And while Anatoly insisted that he change things up, give the house a new look, he never had a heart to change a thing. In these walls were the last traces of his family.

Leaving everything the way that it was like before they were all murdered, was almost like having them with him. Sometimes at night, when he walked the halls of his home and if he concentrated hard enough, he could almost hear Thea's happy laughter as she ran down the halls, his mother's voice echoing in the ballroom, and the smell of his father's cigar in his office, that now belonged to Oliver. This house was the only thing he had left of them and it was the only place that he could sometimes still see the young Oliver Queen, the last piece of himself that he kept tucked away and that the Bratva never tarnished.

Living as a Bratva Captain in Starling City was also very jarring, eye opening, and dangerous. He now lived in the same city that held the people responsible for his family's death. Those people were the Triad. Ever since he'd found out that they were responsible he felt this churning anger in the pit of his stomach, this need to find every single member and tear them limb from limb. But Anatoly forbid it; assuring him that he had taken care of the people responsible. Throughout the years Oliver covertly invested himself in knowing everything he could about these 'responsible' people. And Anatoly was right. He did take care of all the people responsible, except two: the current leader of Triad, China White & her father.

Oliver knew that they would be the toughest to take down, the head of the snake that had brought ruin to his family. So he bid his time and waited. He acted like he didn't care what Triad or their counterparts, the Italian Mob, were doing; that they were beneath him as he stripped them of their control and ruled supreme in Starling City. He acted like nothing was wrong as he brought QC to its full glory and took control of Bratva territory. One day he would find a way to take them out and Anatoly wouldn't be able to stop him. No one would.

He was interrupted from his thoughts by small footsteps approaching him as he made his way down the main hall stairs. He knew who it was before they appeared in his line of sight.

"_Good morning, Mr. Queen_," Anya greeted him in Russian. The fifty-year-old Russian housekeeper had moved to Starling City with him at the time of his return. Her orders to manage the mansion had come directly from Anatoly. His mentor said she was a gift since Raisa was hesitant to leave her home country. But Oliver knew that she was another pair of eyes and ears to keep an eye on him. He missed Raisa.

"_Morning, Anya_," Oliver replied in Russian, finally reaching the bottom of the stairs and following her to the large dining room. The table was already set for breakfast, "_Is Mr. Diggle in yet_?"

Anya gave a swift nod as she brought coffee over and the morning newspaper, "_He is talking to Yuri and Dimitri. Do you need me to summon him?_"

"_Yes_," Oliver replied shortly, as he began to eat his breakfast, his eyes already scanning through the newspaper.

Anya walked out of the room, and a few minutes later John Diggle walked in. Diggle was a tall, dark skinned man that was in his early forties. He had come into Oliver's life in the most surprising way – he saved his life. A few years ago, while Oliver was chasing down one of the men that were involved in killing his family, he fell into the line of fire. If it weren't for John getting the man first Oliver would have been injured. Diggle, just like Oliver, was chasing after his own revenge. Triad had been responsible for the death of his younger brother, and John – ex army – was tired of the SCPD's failed attempts at getting his killer. And so he'd decided to get revenge on his own terms and by his own hands. The two of them got along quite well after that, joining forces to get revenge for their loved ones against the Triad. Along the way they developed a solid bond of trust, and apart from Slade, Diggle became his best friend. He was one of the few men that Oliver trusted with his life and a part of his inner circle, along with Slade Wilson, Roy Harper and Sara Lance. Now years later, they were still looking for a way to destroy Triad.

"Morning, Mr. Queen" John said, as Oliver arched an eyebrow at him. John and him were friends, a term he didn't take lightly, and he would still call him Mr. Queen even if no one were listening. A part of him thought John might have done it on purpose to bug him, something that he wouldn't allow of anyone else beside 'a friend.'

"Are we all set for the meeting tonight?" Oliver asked him.

"Yes, sir. Miller will be there to report to you the latest transactions."

"Excellent."

Oliver finished his coffee and walked out to the foyer with John. When they reached the door Anya walked up to him and handed him his leather briefcase. John kept on walking and exited the mansion, opening the back door of a dark Rolls Royce.

"I will expect some company tonight, Anya. Take her to the usual room," Oliver said as he walked to the car.

"Yes, Mr. Queen," Anya replied, closing the door behind Oliver.

It was time for another day of masks.

* * *

><p>Oliver's breathing was labored as he steadily moved above her. He held tight onto Helena's thighs as he felt her nails running down his back. She moaned his name, lost in her own pleasure. He kept pushing, chasing after his own gratification until he could see nothing but white light and feel pleasure. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation, the quick release. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to make him feel free from all of it. The darkness that was his life.<p>

The feel of Helena's hand on the small of his back brought him back from his nirvana. He opened his eyes, looking down at the woman under him. She was smiling, her pale skin flushed and her blue eyes shining; she looked debauched. He felt sick.

To feel her hands against his skin was too much. He hated himself for getting lost in the mess that was Helena one more time just for a couple seconds of pleasure. It was a mistake.

Oliver slowly removed himself from inside of her, ignoring her small pleads for him to stay inside of her. He held tightly onto the condom, making sure that it was still intact. He sat down on the bed as he removed the condom, tying it off and throwing it in the small bin next to the bed. While he liked to get lost for a couple seconds in selfish pleasure he wasn't stupid. And getting someone like Helena pregnant was not on the list of things he wanted to happen.

He peered back at her lounging body. The relaxed feeling he felt a few seconds ago was long gone. And the sight of her on the bed brought back everything to him. Helena Bertinelli was another mistake like endless others he had done in his life. She was a gorgeous woman, no denying that, with her long dark hair, big blue eyes and creamy skin. But the only reason he kept her around was because she was available and willing. That and she was the daughter of Frank Bertinelli – the head of the American branch of the Italian Mob in Starling City – a man that Oliver despised. Yet, for Bratva and his future need for revenge against the allies of the Triad, he kept a somewhat civil business relationship with them. Plus screwing his precious daughter brought as much pleasure to Oliver as the sex itself.

He quickly slid his black boxers back on and grabbed his pack of cigarettes. He lit one while she sat on the bed staring at him. Oliver could feel her eyes moving over every inch of his body, trying to ignite a reaction from him. Helena always wanted more from him, sexually and sometimes even emotionally, but he'd never allow it. He didn't need anyone and he saw no point in letting anyone inside. She was just a quick release, just like many others faceless women that walked in and out of his life. Plus she was too much trouble. She was crazy as much as she was gorgeous.

They had been having this casual affair for the past three months – quick, hard and dirty – and while Oliver never made her promises, Helena always turned clingy and possessive, in a slightly obsessive way. And every time they had sex, he would promise himself it would be the last time, but he would always find himself calling her when he was up for a quick fuck. Helena provided that to him, but lately it wasn't even worth it anymore.

Oliver let the cigarette smoke out of his nostrils, as he enjoyed the last seconds of silence. He knew exactly what was coming next. She was extremely predictable in that way.

"Oliver! Are you really going to stand there and ignore me?" she asked him, her tone angry and right on time.

"You say it like I care," he said shortly, pushing the burning ashes of his cigarette into an ashtray on the side table. His eyes followed the lazy trail of smoke up.

"You cared while you were inside of me!" she shrieked, her dark hair flying against her as her face turned red with rage.

Oliver contemplated looking up from the billowing smoke. He didn't. "Don't flatter yourself, sweetheart. I have been inside many women. None of them mattered, just as you don't."

"Fuck you, Oliver," she shouted angrily. He could practically hear her shaking in anger. Helena was used to getting her way and she hated not having the control she wanted.

Oliver lit another cigarette and finally set his cold eyes on her as he pulled out his 9mm, and personal companion, from the side table; the cigarette hanging from his lips. "You can find your way out."

Her eyes flickered to the gun and she met his blank stare with a furious one of her own. "You're kicking me out of your bedroom? Again?"

Oliver scoffed, throwing her ruby pair of underwear in her direction, followed by the rest of her clothes. "Actually I'm kicking you out of my house, Helena. And no, this isn't my bedroom."

"You can't keep doing this to me, Oliver! Who the hell you think you are?!" she shouted, all of her control slipping as she got out of bed. Her nakedness did nothing to him.

"Why don't you go and argue with someone that actually gives a fuck about you, like your fiancée for instance. Or did you forget about that clown that put that big rock on your finger?" Oliver asked as she looked down at the huge diamond ring that her fiancé Michael had given her over six months ago. He was a bookie for the Italian Mob, and he listened to every word Frank Bertinelli said. The excess of faith and devotion that Michael had towards Bertinelli was what made Helena seek out Oliver in the first place. Even Oliver could admit she was full of daddy issues.

"I thought we had a clear agreement, Helena. I fucked you till there was no tomorrow – so that you fulfilled your bad boy fantasy and gave to you all the things that your fiancé was lacking, and you walk away from here happy and satisfied. No strings attached. I don't see how you keep on misunderstanding that!" Oliver shouted, his words hitting Helena hard. She liked to think she was turning him around, that The Crow had finally let someone in. She was wrong.

"You are such a fucking asshole!" Helena seethed as she threw her clothes on, her black pumps in her hands, as she stormed towards the door.

"That's the rumor," Oliver replied sarcastically as he walked ahead of her and opened the door so she'd leave. He was tired of her.

"You will call me back. You always do," she said as she paused in front of him, challenging him.

Oliver signaled for the guard on duty to come over. He always had one when Helena was around. And it was moments like this that Oliver knew that he needed to stay away from Helena Bertinelli, permanently. That woman was much more trouble than she was worth.

"Don't hold your breath," he said coldly as he signaled from the guard to escort her out. Helena struggled against the guard for a second but said nothing as she was led out.

Not wasting another second on her he closed the bedroom door. He really needed to stay away from her crazy ass.

* * *

><p>After he put some pants on he walked over to the bed, stripping the bed of its sheets. His encounter with Helena was a mistake; something that he wouldn't be doing again. And even though he couldn't stand the thought of Anya 'watchingspying' on him, he didn't want the fifty-year-old woman to have to take care of these sheets. Placing them in the laundry basket in the bathroom he pulled out another bed set and made the bed.

After that was done he made his way to his room on the other side of the mansion. More days than not he always ended up in his room, isolated and alone. He spent half of his day at the office in QC and then another quarter in his office at the mansion. After that he always retreated here. His cave of solitude.

He did a sweep of his room like he did every night; checking the closets and the bathroom connected to his room, even checking the windows with his weapon in hand. He had been cautious as a child but being part of Bratva had elevated that caution and diligence. Plus he might be part of Bratva but he wasn't an idiot. There was never a dull moment in his life.

He entered his bathroom and pulled off his clothes, placing his weapon and watch on the counter. He still smelled a bit of Helena on his skin and it made him sick. He entered the large glass walk-in shower and set the water to practically steam the room in seconds. He let out a low hiss as the soothingly warm water hit his chest; the muscles loosing instantly. Grabbing his soap he began to scrub any and all reminders of her away.

His fingers slipped over his scars. Helena might have appreciated his body, seen the appeal of the play of muscles and strength, but there was a part of him that felt a twinge of shame when he ran his soapy hands over the scars. What would his mother say if she saw the scars he now had on various parts of his body? What would his father do when he explained that each mark was a sign that he'd survived another day? Would his little sister cry and ask what happened?

Taking a shuddering breath he closed his eyes and washed his body quickly; washing the smell of Helena and the thoughts of his family away. He let the water wash it all away. When that was done he excited the shower and realized he hadn't brought a towel with him. Without a second thought he left the bathroom naked but for his weapon and constant companion. He made his way to his walk in closet, feet leaving a trail of wet prints. He dried himself and threw on a pair of sweats before doing another sweep of his room. Diligence.

When he confirmed that all was well he retrieved his watch and placed his weapon on his side table. It was time for his nightly ritual.

Digging around in his side drawer he pulled out a small blue book before slipping into bed. Pulling his duvet cover up to his chest he sunk back into his pillows. Like in the shower this was the only time of the day when he could really let go of everything and think back on thoughts he'd rather keep hidden. Revenge and anger thwarted him throughout the day and he was a cold, detached and dark presence that put fear in people's hearts. But here with this book in his hands he could relax a bit and remember the boy he used to be, the man he could have been if…if his family was still here.

Opening the first page he tried to not let the bitter taste and need of revenge overwhelm him. This was his moment to just remember that this blue book was a part of him, a part of his family. When he had been five his mother had given him the book in his hands. She told him that when she was little her mother used to read to her so she was keeping the tradition going. And she'd kept her promise. Every night since he was five his mother, and even his father, when his mother wasn't available, would read The Little Prince to him. He loved the story of the young boy who had fallen to Earth on a tiny asteroid and who wondered about the adult world. Within the pages his mother would write small notes and dates of things that she wanted him to remember. Flipping to the back of the book he took in Thea's messy scrawl when she'd attempted to help her mother and Oliver. He ran his fingertips over where she wrote his name and let the tired feeling weigh him down, the years without their love and support.

He'd had this book with him when everything went to shit. When their car was sent spinning this had been tucked into his jacket by his feet, never too far from his reach. Even now he could still spot little flecks of brown where blood had dried on it, small nicks where glass had cut at it. All signs of a past that he wanted to forget and that he was still grieving for. He masked it now with anger and detachment but his grief was still there hidden behind his mask and the pages of this book.

Gripping the book tightly he slid down the bed and started to read the book for what felt like the thousandth time. He pushed away the bitter anger and thought of Thea's bright smile. He pushed away the isolation and thought of his mother's warm hugs. He pushed away the darkness and thought of his father's comforting words. He would do this all for them. He would survive, thrive, and seek revenge for his family, even if they weren't there anymore. Even if it were a dark and lonely path that he was walking on, he would do this for them.

As Oliver Queen.

As The Crow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hi guys! We hope you all have enjoyed the first chapter of The Crow and that you will take this journey with us! We are very excited for it!**

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**An official soundtrack for The Crow will be up soon as well!**

**Love,**

**PoisonAngelMuse and TheAlternativeSource**


	2. Everybody Wants To Rule The World

**The Crow Chapter 2 – Everybody Wants To Rule The World **

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**Music Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Lord**

_Welcome to your life  
>There's no turning back<br>Even while we sleep  
>We will find you<br>Acting on your best behaviour  
>Turn your back on mother nature<em>

_Everybody wants to rule the world_

_It's my own design  
>It's my own remorse<br>Help me to decide  
>Help me make the most of<br>Freedom and of pleasure  
>Nothing ever lasts forever<em>

_Everybody wants to rule the world_

_There's a room where the light won't find you  
>Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down<br>When they do I'll be right behind you_

_So glad we've almost made it  
>So sad we had to fade it<em>

_Everybody wants to rule the world  
>Everybody wants to rule the world<br>Everybody wants to rule  
>The world<em>

The sound of Felicity's heavy combat boots against the wet concrete pavement were the only sounds in the empty street. She walked quickly, looking back over her shoulder every few minutes, her heart jumping inside her chest at every small noise. Night was quickly approaching and as the cold wind blew, she heard the sound of a dark crow flying above her. Her eyes caught sight of it as it flew over to a building across the street.

Any other day and she would have just ignored it…now she thought that it was following her. A sign.

Tucking her shoulders up she pulled her backpack tighter against her back. A chill ran down her spine inside her leather jacket. She wasn't ready for this. Wasn't ready for being alone and tired. She didn't want to feel like this anymore. She thought she was done with this empty feeling inside of her. This feeling of everything being ripped away where she was the only one left.

She was wrong.

For most of her life she was invisible, hiding in shadows, just another face in the crowd. Ever since she was little she reasoned that if she were invisible no one would try to hurt her, judge her, or push her. Invisibility meant safety. And sadly, Felicity Smoak never knew any other way. That had all been shaken tonight.

* * *

><p>Growing up in Las Vegas as the only daughter of a cocktail waitress with a penchant for having a string of boyfriends and not noticing her growing and changing daughter, made it so that the odds were not in her favor from the start.<p>

She was a bright girl since birth. Her intelligence levels above the average person with a snappy personality to match. And even though an absent father had left her mother to care for her, she loved her. Her mother, Donna, acknowledged how smart and brilliant her daughter was but many others didn't. They would look at her with their judging eyes, wondering why a little girl was more interested in books, in computers, in anything besides Barbie's and playing around with other kids. People had a hard time understanding her. If fact, even her mother had a hard time understanding her sometimes. But she was her daughter so she tried.

To be truthful, her mother Donna had tried the best she could. She would support her daughter's education, working along with Felicity's schoolteachers to help develop her abilities and even skip her a grade even if she didn't understand a word Felicity said. She would support her daughter financially, making sure she was fed, dressed, and always had a babysitter. She tried to provide for her as much as she thought she should/could. But she was never there.

Donna's priority was her life and her job. Her job as a cocktail waitress made it so she worked endless hours, trying to provide for her daughter. This led her to miss all the signs that her daughter needed her. Her job stopped her from noticing Felicity as she grew. Not noticing when her daughter's eyes would be on her, waiting for her mother to see her or even notice her. Donna's job also afforded her a lot of opportunities to meet men and continue her aforementioned life. Her mother was a beautiful woman and she wanted to live it no matter how much time she had to spend away from her daughter.

She wanted to find a man to 'complete' her, maybe even give Felicity a father. It would go like this. Donna would work at the casino and meet a wonderful guy, Felicity's equivalent of the wrong kind of man, with eyes that apparently only shined for her and a bank account to match. They would spend countless evenings together, eating in fancy restaurants and even sometimes going on supposed 'family' outings. But every time it would end the same way; broken hearts and a sobbing mother who would remember that she had a daughter. Curling up next to her and telling Felicity that one day she would find someone good for them. In those moments she loved her mother and forgave her for everything.

For those couple weeks when she dropped her 'man hunt' things were great. Felicity's mom would be attentive, caring, even loving. They would go to the park, watch television together and on one rare time when she was six go to see the pandas at the zoo. A couple weeks later it would start again. Donna was a hopeless romantic and had the need to always have a man by her side or she wouldn't feel complete. So while Felicity wondered why her mother wasn't home anymore or why she wouldn't play with her and leave her with a horrible babysitter, Donna continued looking for Mr. Right. She dreamt of the perfect family, a good husband and a father figure for her daughter. Sadly, that dream never came true.

All of this led Felicity to learn that invisibility was key at a young age. If no one saw her then no one could hurt her, judge her, or push her around. It worked on her mom when she came home ranting and raving about a date or a patron who was a little rambunctious, as if Felicity would want to know about that. It worked when her neighbors would whisper or stare at catching her bringing home a bunch of books in her tiny arms instead of friends. It worked on her mother's boyfriends when their eyes would linger too long on her and she would lock herself in her bedroom or the bathroom. It even worked when the kids at school would try to pick on pigtail wearing, geeky Felicity. It kept her safe.

Invisibility hurt.

At a young age Felicity thought something was wrong with her. Every mean comment or odd look cutting though her like glass, her fragile heart not understanding why people said she was different even though she could solve high school math problems at a young age. That looked like an achievement to her that deserved recognition but all she got was odd looks and a mother that didn't understand why she strived for more. Invisibility also brought loneliness. A coldness growing in her that made it so she withdrew into herself, protecting her heart from all her mother and everyone else. She would read herself to sleep, dress herself after the babysitter helped her with a bath, and worked on her homework by herself.

By the time Felicity was 8 years old she knew some absolute truths. Firstly, that her mother didn't see her like the daughter that Felicity wished. Secondly, that her mother would always be on the look out for the next man. And lastly, that she would have to learn how to take care for herself since no one else would.

* * *

><p>Despite the loneliness that prevailed her when she little she couldn't deny that her mother was the fiercest and most beautiful woman that she knew. Felicity was pretty sure that her mother was a princess of sorts and would sit with her while she got ready for the night. She loved to see her mom dressed in her shiny and sparkly dresses, her makeup always on point and smelling like the sweetest perfume.<p>

When she was about 8 years old her mother got a job at the Bellagio. Things changed even more then. She spent an increasing amount of time working there as a cocktail waitress because according to Donna it was a 'goldmine' of opportunities for them. She didn't care that she was leaving her young daughter alone more often. It was around that time that Felicity learned how to fix things on her own and how to take care of herself courtesy of the Watsons.

Their neighbor Mr. Watson and his wife had agreed to take care of Felicity instead of the numerous babysitters they went through. And Felicity loved it there. The Watsons were caring and sweet. Mrs. Watson would time out of her day to teach her about her growing and changing body, how to cook, and how to be a lady. Mr. Watson took his time to teach Felicity something that would drive her for the rest of her life – how to fix things. He loved to fix all sorts of things, no matter how big or small. He taught her how to take any electronic device apart and how to put it back together. He made her see that wires were wires, and that there was always a way to fix it. Nothing was irreparable.

"I can't fix it," nine-year-old Felicity grumbled, throwing the screwdriver down on the table in frustration. She felt helpless.

"You just have to be patient, Felicity. You can fix it; you just need to find the cause of the problem. Don't lose your focus." James Watson calmly reassured her as he took the remaining screws from Felicity's small hand and calmly worked on the small toaster. Felicity watched with rapt attention. A few minutes later the toaster was working again. "See, you were really close to fix it by yourself," the older man added.

"You just make it look so easy," she mumbled, her big glasses falling down to the tip of her nose as she tucked her long bangs behind her ears.

"That's because I've had a lot of practice," Mr. Watson joked, "You'll get it. Just takes time. And we'll keep on trying till you get it dear."

"I wish I could be just like you, Mr. Watson," the little girl said with a sweet smile.

"And you can be, Felicity. You are the most brilliant little girl that I've ever met. You are destined for greatness. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You can change the world, Felicity. Never forget that." Mr. Watson beamed at her with pride when she picked up the screwdriver again as Mary Watson walked into the living room.

"James, Lissy, lunch is ready. Honey, time to put your toys away," Mary said, while pointing to the endless tools and components that were strewn about on the table, before walking back towards the small kitchen. Mr. Watson helped her put her stuff away in her very own toolbox.

"Lissy, can you set the table, please," a call came from the kitchen.

"Sure, Mrs. Watson," Felicity replied. Practice made it so it only took a couple minutes to set the table for the three of them to have lunch together.

The Watson's and Felicity had a very easy relationship. While they had their own child, he lived far away from them in New Jersey with his own kids, and the couple was lonely. When Donna Smoak begged them for help to watch over Felicity, as her regular baby sitter couldn't, they opened their home and their hearts to the small dark haired girl with braided pigtails and large glasses. They enjoyed her quirky personality and her brilliant mind, and it gave the older couple a feeling of joy that they hadn't felt in a very long time. Felicity loved them just as much, and she longed for afternoons and nights that she spent with the Watson's.

No matter how lonely she would get from time to time when her mother was away working, or out with a boyfriend, the Watsons always made her feel like she belonged. They loved her as if she was their own grandchild and treated her as family. And Felicity felt like they had become the family that she had always wanted. She would help Mrs. Watson cook dinner, or help Mr. Watson fix things on a daily basis. They would watch old movies together, work on her homework and read books together. In fact they were the first ones to give Felicity her very own book. The old copy of The Hobbit, with its yellow pages and turned down corners was still her favorite, no matter how many times she had read it. She would always carry the book with her, no matter where she went.

All of this time spent together made it so that Mr. Watson's promise of her getting better with practice, come true. Felicity could still picture how proud he was of her when she fixed her first radio at the age of 10 years old. She and Mr. Watson would spend hours going through antique and broken looking electronics that he loved to restore. When she had blown right through those he helped her get her first computer; actually he helped her build one. With his help they went through various books on electronics that he had from his working days. And for the next year they dedicated themselves into working small components – from old computer parts from the Salvation Army – to build a makeshift computer for her. It was their ultimate goal to finish this together. But he would never see their project finished.

Sadly, Mr. Watson passed away when Felicity was 12. His death was devastating for both Mary and Felicity, but she promised herself and Mrs. Watson that she wouldn't give up. That she would carry his memory with her all the time, with each component, with each wire and screw that she worked on. He was the one that first noticed how special she was and that helped her improve her abilities. He inspired her to do more. He believed in her and she wouldn't disappoint him.

His wife, Mrs. Watson didn't handle his loss very well. The old couple had been married for fifty years and the loneliness that she felt was heartbreaking. The older woman was miserable, being away from her beloved and slowly but surely started cutting off her babysitting duties of Felicity. When she had asked Mrs. Watson why she couldn't come over and cook, watch old movies and work on her electronics there as often as she did in the past, Mrs. Watson had told her that she believed that Felicity was capable of taking care of herself and wouldn't need to be watched as diligently as before. Neither brought up the crippling loneliness they felt for the empty hole that been left in their lives.

Not long after her husband passed away, Mrs. Watson followed.

Felicity was devastated to lose two people that she loved and considered the closest thing she would get to grandparents. She lost the security and the feeling of belonging she had gained for the first time in her young life. She lost the two people that were always there for her, that loved her and cherished her from who she actually was. She lost part of her family and a part of herself.

Years later she would listen to that radio she first built with Mr. Watson when she felt alone and needed her family.

* * *

><p>After The Watson's passed away and she entered her teenage years, Felicity became even more lonely and an outsider.<p>

She couldn't fit in with the other kids her age, and no one seemed to understand the young girl like the older couple had. Her mother seemed oblivious to her daughters pain and believed that it was just 'teenager angst' as she liked to say. That it would pass, as she grew older. But what Donna couldn't see was that Felicity had lost her sense of belonging since they were the only family that she knew, as her mother kept being absent when Felicity needed her the most.

Her loneliness made it so she would spend never-ending hours with her nose inside a book or building her own electronics and inventions from old spare parts she could scrounge up. She grew to love her ability to build and fix things. It was something that she had control of in a life where nothing was as she desired. It felt good to be able to control something. And she was damn good at it. She learned how to live and be happier with the characters in her books and comics and the things that she created. She could always count on the characters in her books and comics. They never let her down like life did.

She kept moving forward for the next couple years just like she knew that Mr. and Mrs. Watson would have liked her to do. She got good grades in school, she stayed out of trouble, and got better at building and fixing things. She even took care of her mom when she was around. Before she knew it she was feeling years older than she actually was. The weight of being the responsible one on her shoulders.

While that was all fine and dandy she couldn't stop the amounting feeling of inadequacy and frustration that she felt around her peers and her mother. It made it so she could hardly picture that little girl that James and Mary Watson were so proud of, the one they believed that could change the world if she tried it. She felt hopeless as she watched her life passing by, and her inability to change it.

It was on one of those lonely nights, that the ever growing angry 14 year old found a sweet escape for all her frustrations. She was channel surfing when she hit a rerun of a movie staring a young Angeline Jolie in a world that Felicity never knew could be possible. A world where your smarts got you far and a love of electronics was ok. Felicity Smoak realized that night that she could change the world if she chose to with just a few strokes of her keyboard.

That was the day that The Oracle was born.

* * *

><p>While she was growing up most of the men that came in and out of her life, courtesy of Donna, kept to themselves, not wanting to endure a small child. That all changed when she hit puberty. All of a sudden Felicity got the unwanted attention from them that she never wanted. And no matter how much she tried she couldn't escape it as Donna brought these men into her home. No matter how much she would hide her changing body with loose clothes, or hide her beautiful face behind a waterfall of dark hair, or try to keep out of the way and locked inside her room…they would always have eyes for her.<p>

At first, it was small innuendos, disgusting appreciating looks, and some catcalls. She hated it all. It made her feel dirty and violated. And her mom seemed to be oblivious to it as well. Too lost in her own fantasy world. Donna always tried to see the best in people, and no matter how much her daughter expressed her desire to stay away from her mother's boyfriends, Donna simply couldn't see how any of them would ever try to hurt her child.

On the one occasion that one of her mother's boyfriends made her feel disturbingly uncomfortable and she had complained to her mother about it…Donna had thought she was making it up. Maybe even trying to pull attention from Donna and to herself. That was the day that Felicity Smoak realized that her mom wouldn't pick her side no matter how much she begged her. No matter how vile those men were. They came first in her eyes.

She was alone.

* * *

><p>Entering high school didn't make things any easier. To Felicity, it was a time filled with angst, pain and self-doubt as her body truly blossomed. She continued to be a loner, not trusting anyone to get too close to her, and she'd rather spend her time in the safe haven of her own bedroom than around other people.<p>

High school was tough, as she didn't fit in with anyone. She was also a constant victim of bullying. While they never touched her, the mental scars felt much more painful than the physical ones they could have left behind. Her confidence took a blow during these years. She would wonder why all these bad things were happening to her? Why life had to be that hard when she never did anything to hurt anyone? Why had life chosen to be so unfair to her?

The only thing that kept her going in high school besides her books and her steadying wonder with electronics was her schoolwork. Her teachers tried to help her as much as they could and she ended up taking tons of AP classes and joining extra-curricular activities to stay as far from home as possible. She was good at her schoolwork as it was something that she could understand and work with it. It was safe. It was one of her teachers that pointed out that her talent with Math and Computer Sciences could be put to better use. He was the one that pushed M.I.T into her life and filled her soul with hopes and dreams of a better life. He gave a sense of purpose that she never had before. He gave her a way out of a life that only brought her pain and sorrow.

So Felicity put her heart into it. She worked harder than ever to get the highest SAT scores that her school had ever seen and a stack of recommendation letters that would get her into M.I.T. She had a real chance of getting in by the first half of her senior year. While she knew that her mom couldn't afford a place like M.I.T, her professor explained that she had a high chance of getting all sorts of scholarships because she was exactly the kind of student that they were looking for. After submitting her application it was a waiting game.

It was during a study session for her winter break finals that her mother seriously questioned her future plans. She was lying down on her bed, a book in her hands and Linkin Park playing in the background. The music helped her focus and she was enjoying the last moments of peace and quiet of the night. But the minute she heard the familiar sound of high heels clicking against the hardwood floors, she knew her time was up. Letting go a tired sigh she put a bookmarker in her Chemistry book and waited for the hurricane that was Donna Smoak.

"Lissy, honey. Are you home?" Donna said, her voice echoing in the small apartment.

"I'm in my room!" Felicity shouted, closing her book as a frustrated sigh left her dark painted lips. Things between her and Donna had been even more strained lately – Felicity's desire to move out of Las Vegas and Donna's desire for her to follow her footsteps always caused fights nowadays. Felicity was exhausted of fighting with her mom.

Donna walked into her room on quick and smooth steps. Her green sequin dress and extremely high heels proof that she just finished another day at the casino. She smelled like cigarettes and scotch, and the smell of it always made Felicity's stomach uneasy. It was proof of the life that her mom leaded, and Felicity hated that she couldn't see pass it. Her mom would never leave Las Vegas. And Felicity would be dammed if she would be another victim of this fate. She knew that M.I.T would change her life, and she couldn't wait for it.

While her mom had gorgeous long blonde hair and a curvy body, Felicity had her father's dark brown hair, and his wicked mind. Her mom would always say how she couldn't keep up with her, just like she couldn't with her father during their time together. Donna was flirty and romantic, always picturing endless possibilities of happy endings with each new man that walked into her life, and always putting her heart on the line. Felicity was realistic, grounded and quite frankly a loner. She was the complete opposite of her mother, and that always led them down different paths and into many arguments.

"Look what I got you, baby," Donna said in excitement as she put a small bag into Felicity's hands.

"What is it?" Felicity asked her with an arched eyebrow. It wasn't her birthday or time for Hanukah so there was no reason for unplanned presents. Not to mention she was sure they couldn't afford it.

"Open it, silly!" Donna said, practically vibrating in glee as she moved to sit next to Felicity on the bed.

Felicity opened the bag only to find a short baby pink lace dress. It had cap sleeves and a small amount of tulle to give it volume. Felicity kept staring at the small dress, frozen and at a lose for words.

"Isn't it wonderful? I was walking by my favorite thrift_shop _on the way back home and when I saw it I couldn't resist. It will look so good on you. The color will look amazing against your pale skin. Then with the right pair of heels and the right hairstyle, you will look like a million bucks. I'm sure that Tom from the casino won't be able to resist you," Donna said proudly, moving her hands over Felicity's hair, trying to see how to make her more presentable.

"What?" Felicity asked, shock and anger mixing in her tone.

"I know you don't like to wear your hair up, but it will look good with the dress. We can braid it even," Donna said, lost in her own thoughts and not catching Felicity's shock or anger.

"That wasn't what I mean, mom," Felicity said, throwing the dress back in the bag.

Her mom pulled back and gave her a confused look as if Felicity was in the wrong, "What do you mean, then?"

"Tom, the security guard from the casino? Really? He is 27 years old!"

"So?"

"I'm seventeen, mom! That's not even legal!"

"Well, a lot of women like older men. Older men like to support and protect women. That is a very nice trait to find in a companion. You know that Tom likes you, Lissy. He is always so polite with you. He will make a fine husband one day. Any woman would be lucky to have him!"

"Mother! I don't even like, Tom! How can you even try to set us up? And the dress, really? What the hell is wrong with you?" Felicity said furiously, getting up from the bed and walking towards the other side of the room where her desk sat.

"I'm thinking about your future! You need to find someone to take care of you, Felicity. I won't be around forever, and when I am gone, who will be there for you?"

Felicity scoffed. Who would be there for her? That was certainly a surprising sentence coming from her, "I don't need a man to take care of me! I have been doing fine by myself. I have been feeding myself, cleaning the house, going back and forth to school, all by myself since I was 8 years old!"

"Don't be absurd, Felicity" Donna said, exasperated as she got up from the bed.

"No mother! You are being absurd!" Felicity shot back, pointing at her mother, "Why do you keep trying to change me?"

"Because it's not healthy! All you do is go to school; spend hours locked inside this room or the damn bathroom, with this angry music playing, surrounded by books and those old computer parts. You keep dressing as if you were going to a funeral with all that black clothing and that dark makeup! Not to mention all those piercings," Donna shouted back, letting her daughter know exactly how disappointed she was with her and the person she'd chosen to be, "You will never find someone to be with you while you are dressed like that and with that attitude. Don't you worry about your future?"

"Really? That's all this will ever be about? Me finding a guy to support me? How about my hopes and dreams? How about me getting out of this town, and getting far away from it!"

"Oh Felicity, don't kid yourself," Donna said, bitterness transforming her beautiful face into something ugly.

Felicity felt anger and pain bubble up inside of her. She wouldn't let anyone stomp on her dreams, "I will get the hell out of this city, mother. You mark my words. I won't stick around and watch all my dreams die."

"You really believe that because you are bright and good with computers you will find a way out of here. That M.I.T will change your life. Is that it?" Donna asked her in disbelief, placing her hands on her hips, "Guess what Felicity, girls like us don't get to go out there and conquer the world. We are the ones that stay behind and serve the drinks. You can try to fight it all you want, but the quicker you accept it, the easier your life will become."

"I won't ever accept it!" Felicity shouted angrily, furious tears pooling in her eyes, "I won't be like you!"

Donna looked as if she had been slapped. "Then I hope you will enjoy the disappointment," her mother growled out as she took the bag with the dress and left a broken Felicity behind, "Cause this is all you are going to get".

* * *

><p>Donna's lack of faith on Felicity's dreams only pushed then further apart. While Felicity worked hard to achieve her goal of attending M.I.T, Donna got even more lost in her own little world. At the time Donna was dating Dave, a lawyer that Felicity was sure was married with kids somewhere – he would come and go every few weeks, always bringing Donna luxurious gifts and taking her to expensive dinners – then he would suddenly disappear, not pick up her mother's phone calls; leaving a mess behind him. Felicity despised him, and it drove her mother mad, since Donna believed he was her prince charming.<p>

Her relationship with her mom began to truly fade as time passed and home became her own personal brand of hell. She resented her mom for choosing her life over her daughters and thinking that Felicity would follow in her footsteps. Felicity would always be locked in her bedroom, her cyber personality taking over and giving her the control that she craved. While Felicity Smoak was bright, she was considered weak and weird. But The Oracle was strong, determined and even feared in some ways. Coding and hacking came naturally to her, and soon she was immersed in a life that was very different from her own. The cyber world made more sense to her than what she was living every day, and for the first time in forever, she felt free. Hacking became second nature to her like breathing was.

The Oracle became her salvation.

While all the odds were against Felicity Smoak, she made the best of it during the final months at her home with Donna. When she was 17 years old, she emancipated herself and said goodbye to a life that she always felt she didn't belong in. She broke all chains that had held her back. She said goodbye and never looked back.

* * *

><p>It was in M.I.T that her life really changed.<p>

Even on her first day, a large backpack on her back and a box in her hands with all the belonging she had, she didn't feel like a freak here, like she didn't belong. No one seemed to stare at her jet back hair and purple highlights, or at her ripped jeans and combat boots, and dark makeup. No one actually seemed to care. They were all too busy living their own lives and it exhilarated Felicity.

Her dorm room became her home and M.I.T her life. While she was majoring in computer sciences, she would work part time in a small library and spend many nights working on her hacking as The Oracle. The thrill of the danger, freedom and challenge that she experienced every time that she hacked was enough to keep her going that first year. She was known in the hacker world. In many ways people came to admire her work.

Felicity finally was happy, and she couldn't imagine living her life any other way.

Her life changed even more when Cooper Sheldon came into the picture. He was a senior, majoring in the same area as she was. When he caught sight of her one day at work he had approached her and actually flirted with her. Felicity was shocked. This had never happened to her before. Especially because he was gorgeous, with dark blond hair, dreamy eyes and a sarcastic personality that she enjoyed. He was like her in many ways, and they became quick friends who spent hours talking about music, politics, their courses and even the latest TV show that they both enjoyed. She tried to resist at first, wanting to focus on her major and not follow in her mom's footsteps. But Cooper wouldn't give up, and after months of pursuing her, she accepted his dinner invitation. Their first kiss blew her away. She felt something shift inside her, realizing that not all men were like the sleaze bags that her mom dated. She didn't let go of all her doubts and fears but they eased slowly and surely. For the first time in a long time, she put her heart on the line and let someone in.

Cooper became her first love.

They dated for almost a year and Felicity soon realized that her boyfriend had a cyber pseudo personality just as she had. It was further proof that he was just like her, had a much darker side, a side that he liked to say was focused on doing the right thing just like her. According to Cooper he would not reduce himself to becoming a corporate lap dog. No, he would be something else. Cooper liked to say that he was a hacktivist, that he was ready to fight and face a world filled with injustice, to be a hero. To dare to make things and venture to places no one else would.

And she was right there with him as he convinced her with his words, '_You need to decide what you want to be when you grow up babe, a hacker or a hero.'_

He seduced her with the idea of doing the right thing, to help people in need, people that society would exploit. Cooper loved to say that they had gifts, and that they could make a difference, that they could change the world together. The words sounded like music to Felicity and she embarked on a dangerous journey of illegal hacking that would change her life. A world she thought she'd be even freer in and where she could have control and change the lives of others for the better.

By the end of her first year Cooper introduced her to Charles 'Chuck' Thomas and to Cameron 'Rory' Matthews. The three of them became their own knights, the pseudo Robin Hood of a modern era. They became The Raiders. They would take from the dirty and corrupt, and give it to the poor and oppress. They would settle the scale and the injustices of society.

And nothing would ever be the same ever again.

* * *

><p>Felicity relationship with Cooper didn't last long. While they shared a love for technology and for setting right society's wrongs, they didn't have much but that. As soon as the flame of passion passed, Felicity realized that Cooper was far from the courageous and loving man she thought she'd fallen in love with. He had a darker side that scared her and he had a greed growing inside of him that sometimes made Felicity question his motives for what they were doing. Yet she stayed with him and The Raiders for her four years at M.I.T. They became her second family.<p>

When graduation came around Felicity was at an impasse. The Raiders had become her home. And now all of a sudden she was being faced with this decision to leave and go anywhere but Las Vegas or stay here at M.I.T. Sure she had offers to work at some really good companies thanks to her professors – Palmer Technologies, Queen Consolidated and Wayne Enterprises – but this was her home, here with Cooper, Chuck, and Rory. Plus she was doing something worthwhile here. Taking from the rich and giving to the poor as cliché as that sounded. In the end she decided that the job they were doing was more important and more rewarding than any job she would have at QC, Palmer Tech., or Wayne Enterprises.

So she stayed and she wasn't alone anymore.

A year after her graduation she marked herself as being with The Raiders, her family, for five years. In that time they had hacked into endless government agencies, private companies and banks. Always looking for holes in their systems, always stealing from those that didn't make honest money, always taking from them and disappearing before anyone would ever notice. They would sometimes steal small and sometimes large amounts of money, always making sure that no one would be able to track them. They would make numerous anonymous donations to people in need, charities and NGOs; splitting the dirty money and making good things happen with it. They were known as some kind of guardians and even vigilantes in the hacker world, always looking for the next heist, always looking to right a wrong.

A few months after they all graduated, specifically Chuck, from M.I.T they felt like they needed a change of scenery. Cooper wanted to expand business, and he knew that they would be able to do that and more in California. So they packed their things and rented a large loft for themselves. The loft was located in an old steal factory that was converted into apartments in the late 90s. It was close to downtown but in an area that didn't have much traffic besides a supermarket a couple minutes away. The area had an edgy vibe, and young artists seemed to enjoy the neighborhood. No one would suspect why they wanted to rent a loft there – it was the perfect cover – they blended in like no one else. It was excellent for them. While the boys decided it was the ideal place to crash and still work, Felicity didn't feel like living with three guys and wished to branch out a little. And so she rented a small apartment a few blocks from theirs.

They had been living in California for 6 months when someone tried to breach the firewall that Felicity had designed. The system had been one of her best creations, and all hell broke loose when Cooper realized they had been hacked. While the self appointed leader of The Raiders seemed to be calm and self-controlled on a daily basis, he also had an explosive personality and he hated to lose control. He wanted all of them to be in on finding out what the hell happened with Felicity's beautifully coded and impenetrable system. When the dust had settled and they'd figured it out they were all surprised at what they found. This is how 17-year-old Sin came into their lives.

Cindy 'Sin' Johnson was a wayward youth that had the broken look in her eyes that Felicity knew oh too well. So Felicity did the only thing she possibly could do, she brought the young girl into their lives. Sin was a foster child, running from a broken system and with more scars on her young soul than anyone should ever have. And what really brought Felicity in is that she was bright with a smart mouth and a sarcastic remark to everything you could possible say. She became the younger sister that Felicity never had and her roommate.

Sin fit perfectly with The Raiders, and so, she joined their quest to do justice with their own hands.

By that time they had been hacking into companies that laundered or embezzled money, as well as insurance companies that refused to pay their clients. One special time they'd even hacked into a construction company that took their clients' money and didn't finish the work. The list would go on and on. They had helped a lot of people in California, but with time the heists became bigger and more dangerous, and Felicity knew they were walking a fine line into dangerous territory. Cooper realized that they could get real money from the worst kind of people – criminals. So their search to find justice shifted to find any kind of breach into their systems. It took months, but finally they found a breach in one of the most powerful crime organizations in California and in the U.S. – The Triad.

The Chinese organization dealt with drug and gun trafficking, prostitution, and was responsible for hundreds of murders in the past twenty years. They had connections in the police and in the government. And while Cooper saw himself as untouchable and the Triad an easy chance for them to give back to the people that the mob hurt, Felicity knew the risks had gotten way too high. It was one thing to steal from dirty companies, politicians and even banks, but the mob wasn't a risk she was willing to take.

"Cooper, this is a mistake," Felicity begged, trying to change his mind when they gathered at the loft.

"What's the matter, Smoak? Are you afraid?" Cooper teased a small smirk on his lips.

"Yes, and so should you. All of you should be," Felicity said, crossing her arms against her chest. Chuck, Rory and Sin looked on with worry in their eyes.

"We can do it," Cooper insisted, "This could be the big one Felicity. The one to change everything."

"Maybe Felicity is right, Coop. It's not a random heist, this is the mob," Chuck said, pushing his thick glasses up on his nose, clearly nervous.

"So? What's the difference between this job and any other that we have done in the past five years? Think about how many people we can help with this money," Cooper said as he looked at all of them.

"Cooper, if something goes wrong…there's no negotiating with these people," Rory said, looking down at his tapping dirty converses.

"They won't find out." Cooper said with a role of his eyes, confident that everything would be ok.

"How do you know? How can you be absolutely sure about it? They can have a super system protecting their accounts. They can have a team of hackers just waiting for someone to try to breach them. You need to think this through, Cooper." Felicity argued. They were close to doing something life changing and she wasn't sure if she was ready for this.

"I did think this through," Cooper said as he started to pace," I have studied their transactions, and you know their systems, Felicity. We've been researching all about them. The algorithm that you and Sin wrote will crack any firewalls that they might have. Chuck and Rory can overload their systems while I set a virus that will remove small amounts of money. It will be so quick that it'll take months for them to realize that there ever was a breach in their system. It will work!"

"When you say it like that it doesn't sound so bad," Sin said with a shrug, receiving a glare from Felicity, "What?"

"We can do it if we work together," Cooper said, finally stopping his pacing, "We're a team. We've always fought together through all of our battles. I've always been able to count on each one of you. Don't leave me now."

Chuck and Rory exchange glances before nodding in agreement. Felicity felt her shoulders sad. Cooper had won again on something that she felt was wrong.

"Let's do it," Chuck and Rory said.

"Come on, Felicity. What do you say?" Cooper asked when he turned to her. She was the last one left and Felicity wanted nothing more than to punch that stupid grin off his face. He'd cornered her without her even realizing it.

"It's not like you left me any other choice," she fumed, "I can't let you guys get caught. But if I see anything that can lead back to us, I am shutting us down. Do you understand me Cooper?" She wouldn't put them in any more risk for what she now suspected was Cooper's need to be greedy. Maybe it was time for them to rethink this partnership.

A few weeks later, after studying every possible breach and crack into Triad's system, they pulled the heist. It was quick like Cooper promised her it would be, and Felicity made sure to cover all their tracks, protecting them in every possible way. They managed to grab a whopping 3 million dollars. A small part of the money was split between them as always and placed in off shore accounts. The larger part was donated to different charity organizations and a few research programs, all anonymously of course.

Weeks passed by and no one came after them. Felicity doubt's only grew stronger after the heist and she started to question if Cooper was still a hacktivist, if he still cared about being a hero, about helping people in need… or if he just wanted the money. While they lived simple lives, to not attract too much attention to themselves, their offshore accounts were growing and Felicity knew she had enough to live a comfortable life. She wondered if she made the right decision joining Cooper on his crusade.

The success of the heist made Cooper even more confident, and he had honed in on another criminal organization, the Russian mob also known as the Bratva. To appease Felicity and her growing mistrust in him he gave her the reins. He told her it was up to her if they did this. Taking in the eager faces of her friends she threw herself into research. If they were going to this then she wanted to be even more ready than when they stole from the Triad.

What she found surprised her.

If you knew where to look, like she did, the signs were right there and pointing to one person. Oliver Queen. The first time Felicity saw Oliver Queen's face pop up in her Bratva research she had to pause. She couldn't understand how this man could be the leader of the American branch of Bratva. She couldn't understand how all the evidence she collected pointed to him. He was the CEO of one of the most influential companies in the U.S.; he did charity work and he donated to rebuild and better the impoverished parts of his town called 'the Glades'. This couldn't be the Captain of such a big but quite new branch of Bratva. Yet he was. The mysterious death of his family, his disappearance and absence in Russia, his return, and most notably the decrease of Triad and Italian mafia dealings in the area all surrounded him.

He confused her.

When Cooper asked her if she was ready and satisfied with what she had found she had lied. She hated mysteries and somehow Oliver Queen was one. She wouldn't let Cooper near him until she figured out the true mystery behind the suspected Bratva Captain known as The Crow and if it was safe to do to him what they had done to the Triad.

* * *

><p>The night that changed it all started like any other. Chuck and Rory were arguing about who shot first, Hans or Greedo. Sin was schooling a group of newbies on some online first person shooter game. And someone was set to cook tonight. It was Felicity and Cooper's turn to make dinner so they headed down to the supermarket a couple streets over to grab some stuff.<p>

"Did you get the mint chocolate chip?" Felicity asked as she dug into her pockets for her key, her arms full of food.

Cooper gave a small huff and brandished a bag, "It's right in here. Don't freak out."

Felicity rolled her eyes as she found her keys and opened the door, "Not freaking out. I never freak out over ice cream."

"You do when it's 'that' ice cream. Remember finals during second year?" Cooper countered. He held the door open with a foot and they entered the apartment.

Felicity gasped, "You said you would never mention that again. It was finals. Ice cream was essential for survival! No ice cream = failed exams and me crying."

"And no one wants that," Cooper mumbled as they reached the kitchen and placed their bags on the counter.

She couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her. This light moment between them rare, "Jerk."

"Bitch."

Felicity looked up in shock and Cooper bolted. She called after him in annoyance, "Just because we started watching Supernatural doesn't mean you can call me that!"

She heard his responding laugh down the hallway. He was probably checking in on the rest of the group. Grumbling how she was going to kick his ass later she began putting things away in the kitchen. She was just putting away the flour in the pantry when her foot slipped on something. Felicity barely had time to grasp the wall and prevent herself from tumbling over. When she righted herself she tilted her head in confusion. Across from her was a smashed bowl, the remnants of Rory's favorite cereal and soymilk spread around it on the floor. Walking over to it she frowned. Why would this be here and why…

Her inner thoughts were interrupted when she heard a crash from the living room where Cooper was. She looked up just in time to see Cooper crash into the wall at the end of the hall. His eyes were wide and there was a slash across his stomach, a growing patch of red forming there.

Felicity stood there in shock as Cooper began limping towards her. The perfect word to describe the look on his face was…fear.

"Run!"

She took a small step back. What was happening? He was half way to her when she realized that the apartment was quiet. She couldn't hear Rory's chatter or Sin's trash talking, Chase wasn't at his computer station at the end of the hall. Behind Cooper's limping form Felicity saw someone step out from the living room. It was a white haired Asian woman with a curved blade in her hand. She stopped at the entrance as she watched them. She had about two seconds to take in and realize that the cold look on her face was nothing in comparison to the eerie feeling that she felt wash over her at the sight of the blood splattered on her face and clothes.

Cooper's blood.

"Cooper what's happening? Who is she?" she asked in a desperate whisper as Cooper reached her and tugged her backwards.

The white haired woman gave her a full smile, teeth seeming to shine as she slowly sauntered towards them, "Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you little girl."

A shudder went through her before Cooper again roughly yanked her backwards, effectively breaking her out of whatever spell of shock and disbelief she was under. She spun on her heel and helped Cooper run. They had to get out.

The woman laughed as they kept moving, "You can't run!"

She kept close to Cooper in their mad scramble to get away from the woman; Cooper's limp disappearing as he pushed through the pain. She was so focused on getting out that she followed Cooper's lead instinctively and jumped over something that lay across the threshold to the bedroom where the fire escape was. It was as they entered the room and Felicity looked back that she caught sight of what she had jumped over. It was Sin. Her head twisted to the side in an unnatural way. Eyes vacant as if she was looking right through Felicity.

Cooper slammed the door closed and locked it. Not two seconds later the door handle moved.

"Open up," the woman singsonged.

"She's blocked the front door. Fire escapes the only way out. Go!" Cooper shouted before a small piercing sound echoed out, his body jolting at every hit; painting Felicity's face and shirt red. The white haired woman was shooting through the door at them.

"GO!" RUN!"

Cooper's thundering boom of a voice made it so that Felicity jumped as she scrambled to open the window and hop onto the fire escape. Felicity bolted down the escape when the door groaned and slammed open; Cooper yelling out before another thump was heard.

She didn't even know what she was doing as she scored five floors and landed roughly on the cold hard sidewalk. The weight of the ever present bag on her back sent her into the side of the building and scraped her hands. But she didn't let that stop her. She was a mess of struggling and uncoordinated limbs as she desperately pulled herself up and ran off into the night.

Away from the white haired woman.

Away from the bodies of her friends.

* * *

><p>Felicity felt her heart hammer against her chest, threatening to break through. She couldn't breath. As her trembling hands fiddled with the lock of the door she realized she needed to get out of the hotel hall before she collapsed. She'd stopped about a block away and cleaned her face and hands of the blood but the spooked look on her face would make anyone pause. She shot inside when it opened, her hands struggling for the lock and chain as the door shut behind her. It wasn't much but it was something.<p>

Felicity closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had just escaped a killer in her apartment, seen the dead body of one of her only friends, locked herself in a room with Cooper and seen Cooper shot right in front of her; his blood on her face and shirt. Her mind couldn't help supplying that he was dead by now. They were all dead.

She tried not to picture Sin's empty gaze as she made sure the window was locked and the curtains drawn. Drawing a chair up she wedged it under the doorknob before surveying the room. Cheap, quick, and efficient. She kept silent as she tore the cover off the bed and walked to the bathroom. She gave the bathroom door the same treatment before draping the cover over the inside of the tub. Stepping in she brought her backpack to her chest.

She was trembling. Her hands gripping her bag as if it were a lifeline. No sound could be heard in the cheap motel room besides her quick breaths. If she didn't stop herself soon she'd go into a full-blown panic attack and black out. Her eyes watered as she looked down at her bag.

'The spilled cereal and milk. The broken bowl.'

A sob erupted from her throat and she squeezed her eyes tight. She was close to teetering over the edge. She tried to gulp in air as she tucked her face into the top of her bag. They were only supposed to be gone for 15 minutes tops. Just grabbing some essentials for dinner. They were going to have Italian tonight. It couldn't have been enough time for the white haired woman to do that. To kill them.

Sin's empty gaze popped up again and Felicity curled into her self. Somehow it had been enough time.

"They're dead."

Her voice felt wrong in the steady silence of the hotel room. Too loud. Pressing a hand to her chest she stopped herself from crying out as tears spilled down her cheeks. Her heart still beating fast but not as fast as before. Noise felt wrong when it didn't have the constant chatter of Chuck in the background, Rory clicking away, Sin complaining about running out of her favorite cereal, Cooper across from her, both working in silent companionship as they looked to steal from the rich to give to the poor. And she had just ran, had left Cooper there even though he had yelled at her to go. In the apartment she had just frozen, even when Cooper pulled at her…she'd frozen. Maybe if she were faster he would still be alive. He'd still be ok. But she didn't and now he was dead.

Turning her head she pressed her face against her bag and pressed her back against the tub wall. The people she cared about were ripped from her just as she had finally come to a place where she thought of them as family, a place where she could serve justice and help those in need.

She was alone again.

* * *

><p>She spent three hours curled up on her side in that tub. She allowed herself to cry, to mourn, and to feel it all. She stared at the lose of her life in the face because she knew that after that third hour it would stop. She would push it aside and lock it up because fear and tears had no place in what she had to do next.<p>

Third hour mark hit and she locked it up. Eyes hardening and shoulders pulled back, she sat up and got to work. Laptop out she piggybacked on the Wi-Fi connection off the pawnshop next door.

Step 1: Check the surrounding area.

By her estimate she had been running for about an hour. Too scared to even take the bus or take a major street to get to this side of town; a place she hoped they wouldn't look. Logging into the surrounding cameras she checked the streets and the hotel. They were clear. Satisfied that she was safe for the moment she moved on to step two.

Step 2: Figure out what happened.

It was an easy switch to the cameras around her apartment building. Back tracking she watched herself leaving the building, Cooper by her side. About ten minutes later, when she was pretty sure Cooper and her were paying, a car pulled up across the street. Felicity knew it was her instantly. Her feelings began trembling inside of her, tearing at her walls and threatening to break through. Sitting up straight she bashed them down into the deepest part of her. Not now.

She watched as the lone white haired woman crossed the street and entered her building. She wanted to punch out at the woman in the screen; hurt her. She looked in charge. Not afraid or even bothered that she was about to take the lives of four innocent people.

A couple minutes later she spotted herself returning with Cooper, their arms weighed down by the food they'd planned to make; not aware of the danger they were walking into. She couldn't take it anymore. Felicity pressed forward and stopped when she caught herself in the distance. She had just jumped off the fire escape and was moving fast and was gone in seconds.

Gripping tightly to her control she tried not recollecting the feelings she felt as her feet hit the ground and she bolted into the night. The white haired woman wasn't far behind in exiting the building but she'd lost Felicity. It was evident by the frustrated shake of her head and how she started yelling at someone on her phone.

Curious.

Not a half an hour later a van pulled up and joined the white haired woman inside the apartment. Over two hours later she watched as they carted out a couple trashcans before loading them into the car. They all disappeared off into the night without a look back. Felicity needed to look inside. Logging onto Chuck's computer was be the best option since it had a view of the hall where Sin's body was, where they could see the open door where the white haired woman had shot Cooper.

Dread filled her when the camera came online. She'd seen movies and knew what this looked like. Her apartment was pristine, not a speck of blood, a brand new door with no bullet holes, and…no body on the ground by the door. She paused her typing when she realized that her friends were in those bins. She'd never really know what happened because someone had taken them out as if they were garbage. They'd fallen into something dangerous, something that they had underestimated. And Chuck, Rory, and Sin had payed that price. Cooper had paid it for her.

She felt cold. Like something had replaced the light inside of her from earlier on in the night with a dying ember. Only a couple small sparks of fire keeping her going. Because that's what she needed to focus on with all her might: to keep going. Palming the side of her neck she continued.

Step 3: Figure out who was responsible.

The white haired wasn't normal. Her look was too on point and her mannerisms suggested authority. Her cronies suggested organization. And their ethnicity spoke of Triad. The people they just stolen money from. Letting out a small curse she ran the woman description through police records. Her gut had been right. Going after Triad, no matter how noble Cooper made it sound, was too close to home. To close to danger. Everything that happened tonight was proof of it.

A small beep signaled a match and she was staring at the face of…China White. She felt as if something had clamped around her throat as she took in the white haired woman. She wasn't just any member of Triad. Someone sent out to clean things up when things got messy or when a group of five hackers decided to steal from them. This woman was suspected of being the leader of the North American branch of the Triad. She had multiple counts in her rap sheet but nothing that stuck, nothing to keep her in jail more than a couple days. One thing was clear though; all her suspected connections were violent killings or the disappearance of people. Like her friends tonight.

She held off the bile that had risen in her throat and pressed on.

Step 4: What she was going to do about it.

They were looking for her, that she was sure of. And from the way that Cooper limped towards her with that panicked face, she knew that her friends hadn't had an easy death. Cooper was probably dead right now too. And if not for Cooper…she would have been dead too; rolled out in one of those bins to just disappear into the night. That right there wasn't fair. Cooper, Chuck and Rory had families. Small ones but they were there. And because of what they had done, their families would never know the truth. They would just think that they disappeared off into the night. Felicity thought of Sin again. She had once told Felicity that she had no family worth remembering, that they were her family now. And because of what happened tonight no one would mourn her except Felicity. She couldn't even go to the police. After everything they had done online and the clean up at the apartment, there would be nothing to find.

Pressing her curled hands against the side of her head in frustration she tried to figure it out, "Think. What do I do now that I'm alone? What do I do when I can't find my way out? What do I do because my enemy is coming and she won't be far behind?"

It was as if the words appeared in her mind all of a sudden, the familiar words Sin had spoken to her once in jest while playing a game where she had turned the tables by joining the opposite side, thus winning the game.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

She blinked and looked up in surprise as her mind started to piece together something.

"The enemy."

Felicity had no enemy right now besides Triad, who was probably hunting her down now with a vengeance. But Triad had enemies, plenty of them. And the most notorious was the man that had surprised her weeks ago when she was canvassing their next hit. A couple keystrokes and she was staring at his face.

"Oliver Queen. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

She could go to him.

This could work. He was only a couple hours away. She could…she could use the knowledge she had pieced together about him to help her find a way to seek justice for what they had done to her friends and stop them from killing her. She was almost certain that Triad was responsible for the death of Oliver Queen's loved ones and she needed him. Quite possibly more than he needed her but…she had to this. There was no other option that she could think of. No other avenue to take besides this man. He was the enemy of her enemy. And in doing so he was the closest thing to a friend or ally against the storm that was coming her way in the form of China White.

* * *

><p>After coming to the conclusion that Oliver Queen was her only option she set about how she was going to get there. A coach bus seemed like the best option. She packed her bag again, grateful that she never went anywhere without her prized possessions, and waited until the sun began to set the following day. She hoped the cover of night would work in her favor at covering the blood splatter on her shirt and the haunted but determined look on her face.<p>

The sound of Felicity's heavy combat boots against the wet concrete pavement were the only sounds in the empty street when she left the hotel. She walked quickly, looking back over her shoulder every few minutes, her heart jumping inside her chest at every small noise. Night was quickly approaching and as the cold wind blew, she heard the sound of a dark crow flying above her. Her eyes caught sight of it as it flew over to a building across the street.

Any other day and she would have just ignored it…now she thought that it was following her. A sign.

Tucking her shoulders up she pulled her backpack tighter against her back. A chill ran down her spine inside her leather jacket. She wasn't ready for this. Wasn't ready for being alone and tired. She didn't want to feel like this anymore. She thought she was done with this empty feeling inside of her. This feeling of everything being ripped away where she was the only one left.

She was wrong.

For most of her life she was invisible, hiding in shadows, just another face in the crowd. Ever since she was little she reasoned that if she were invisible no one would try to hurt her, judge her, or push her. Invisibility meant safety. And sadly, Felicity Smoak never knew any other way. That had all been shaken tonight.

To save her life and seek justice for her friends she would have to do this. Something frightening. Something new. Something where she would have to get close to a possible enemy to destroy another. She would have to journey alone to find The Crow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hi guys! We hope you all have enjoyed the second chapter of The Crow and that you will take this journey with us! We are very excited for it!**

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**PoisonAngelMuse and TheAlternativeSource**


	3. Help

**The Crow Chapter 3 – Help**

**Disclaimer: **We own nothing but our plot and our own characters. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to DC Comics and CW Television. All rights over this idea and its concepts belong to us. This work is intended for the private enjoyment of the reader and is not to be shared on any other sites (besides AO3 and FF) or events without our express permission.

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><p><strong>AN: Hi everyone! We are so excited with the love you all have showed our new story! The support you guys show us, always blow us away! THANK YOU! * HUGS* We'd like to dedicate this chapter to Idyirish17. Hope all is well and that you keep on smiling!**

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**Music – Help by Hurts**

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><p><em>I'm sick and tired of being afraid<em>

_If I cry anymore then my tears will wash me away_

_But when I hear you call my name_

_I whisper the world that I never thought I'd ever say_

_And I hope to guide you, listen_

_And you keep me safe from harm_

'_cause I found what I was missing_

_When I fell into your arms_

_And we cry away_

_I can feel the darkness coming_

_And I'm afraid of myself_

_Throw my pain and I got running_

'_cause I just need some help_

3 hours. 15 minutes. 7 seconds. That's how long it too her to get to Starling City. With her backpack firmly on her back she hopped off the bus and entered the bus depot. Even though she had a plan on what she wanted to do, it was the dead of the night and she didn't fancy spending the night in a storm drain. Instead she spent the hours between her arrival and morning, locked inside a out of order disabled toilet. When the sun rose she left the depot and hit a hardware store before hailing a cab. She couldn't waste anymore time.

This would work. She was sure of it. Getting a meeting with The Crow wasn't going to be something easy. She would have to do something bold, something grand, and something stupid. She would have to break into his house. If Sin were…if she were still alive she would tell Felicity that she was being stupid. The kind of stupid that gets you locked away. Then she would turn it around and tell her that Felicity had the 'biggest balls' she'd ever seen and that this plan would actually work to bring The Crow to her side.

Ok, back to her breaking into the Queen Mansion. There was no way that she was getting in through the front door. The guards wouldn't let her even up to the gate. And going over the high wall around the property was a no go because of cameras and the fact that Felicity had never learned to climb trees. That left her with only one option, going under.

From what she had gathered in those hours of examining blueprints in the out of order toilet is that even the Queen Mansion had a storm drain. In fact the entire neighborhood where the mansion lay had its own extensive storm drain system that was behind a set of electric locks and doors. Getting past the doors would be no problem. It's the trapezing through the storm drains that got her.

When the cab dropped her off she slinked her way through the neighborhood and came to the electronic locks and doors. After tucking her pants legs into her boots she started her way through the slim storm drains with a flashlight in hand. She had memorized the way through and knew that it would take her an hour tops to get to the Queen Mansion. The storm drain was pitch black, cold and damp. The walls were dripping and the water level by her feet started to rise a couple inches by the time that she got to the half hour mark. It was a clear sign that it had started to rain up above. When the hour mark hit she was walking through at least a foot of water and chilled to the bone.

"Finally."

Every now and then she would see small pinpoints of light, signaling manholes and a way to the street above. She had finally reached the one she had been looking for, the storm drain to the Queen Mansion. Climbing up the ladder she reached the top and listened before pushing up with all her strength. When it gave way she crawled through and was surprised to see that the room she was in looked unused, old, covered with dust and dirt.

"Probably forgot about this part of the mansion."

She was in the old garden house on the north side of the property. They had probably forgotten that there was a manhole here when they built a new and larger garden house on the west side of the house. Leaving it partially open, in case of the need for a swift escape, she hacked into the wireless network. The signal was strong despite the storm brewing outside and the distance from the main house. She was shocked at what she saw.

"Ohhh this hurts my soul."

QC had a top of the line security system, she'd checked. But in comparison to the thing she was looking at now it was a throw back from the 80's. Ancient, outdated, and in need of a tune up. She had expected the Bratva captain to know better and to secure his home with something top of the line, not something where she could track the guards through the network they had set up and link up to the distribution transformer just on the edge of the property.

This is how she was going to get in. Using his system against him she would gain access to the blank space he had on the blueprints she had accessed earlier. That was the spot that she wanted to be in. Because when she did what she was planning he would run to this area. She was sure of it.

Transferring her program over to her phone she packed her things away and waited by the door, thumb over the button that would start it all, as she waited for her moment. She'd be able to get to the main building with no interruption from the guards as long as she was swift and quiet while her program worked its way through disabling his perimeter and home alarms. She hopped in place for a second and pulled her shoulders back, shaking off any remnants of the doubt that nipped at her.

She was alone again. Her back pressed against a wall with China White, no doubt, not far behind. And by her estimates she had been on the run/hiding for over 24 hours. The Crow and enemy of Triad was her lifeline that she was ready to grab a hold of it.

She pressed the button and ran.

* * *

><p>Oliver Queen wasn't known as a patient man. He knew how short life could be, and so he didn't see the point of waiting to get whatever he desired. He was like this in all matters of his life. If he wanted to own something – he would simply buy it. If he wanted to have a certain woman – he would simply seduce her. If he wanted someone dead – he would simply order them to be killed. In his mind life was simple and there was no reason to try to complicate it. He believed in instant gratification. However, the thing he desired the most, was the only thing he had to patiently wait for. His revenge.<p>

"So are you saying that our inside source is dead?" Oliver snapped at Diggle, while pouring himself a large glass of scotch.

"His body was found by SCPD this morning," Diggle simply said, already used to this kind of outburst from Oliver.

"So you think China White knows we are after them actively?" Oliver said, looking through the large windows of his office – the only place besides his bedroom that he knew was safe to discuss matters such as this – watching the storm outside, the drink still in his hand.

"Not necessarily. There was no reason for her to believe so. I suspect she must have caught him leaking information, probably to the Feds. After all, why would Bratva come after the Triad leader," Diggle replied calmly as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Another dead end," Oliver murmured, the death of their inside source leaning a bitter taste in his mouth.

"We knew it wouldn't be easy Oliver. We are already running a huge risk here. There's no reason to do anything reckless," Diggle's voice held a slight warning tone to it, "We will find a way. You just have to be patient."

"I've been waiting for over twenty years, Diggle. How much longer do you think I can take?" Oliver spit out. Before Diggle could reply, the room was immersed in darkness.

Oliver felt his body tense as he looked around quickly. Diggle pulled out two small flashlights and handed one over to Oliver. John flashed it throughout the room as he tried to contact the perimeter guard.

"The storm must have cut the power off," Diggle said, opening the door slightly, looking for any signs of electricity, as Oliver peered outside. Everything was dark, "The generator will kick in soon."

A hum was heard before a flash of light and explosion happened at the edge of the mansion property. The windows shook.

"That was not thunder," Oliver whispered, hand instantly going to the gun in his suit holster. He pulled it out and took the safety off.

A static noise came from Diggle's radio, a voice finally coming through, "Diggle? Heading to bunker."

"Harper, meeting you there. Let's go Oliver," Diggle said into his radio as he and Oliver rushed through the mansion, guns in place. Half of the guards used flashlights to lighten the path while the rest moved out to secure the perimeter. The Captain needed to be safe. That was their mission and they were ready to die for him.

They rushed towards the large library where the bunker's secret entrance was situated.

Roy Harper opened the library door when they reached it. All were on point as they kept an eye out, looking through every corner of the large dark room, guns ready to fire at any threat. They cleared each room of the library as they made their way to the small office at the far end. What they didn't expect was to find someone waiting for them there.

"You! Stop right there!" Diggle shouted, his gun aiming at the dark figure that was lurking in the corner of the library office, as he and Roy stood in front of Oliver. Their flashlights caught sight of the intruder as they raised their hands and took a small step forward. All three were surprised when the intruder lifted its head and revealed a slim dirty woman, covered in mud and dripping wet.

"I come in peace!" a feminine voice shouted, raising her arms higher in total surrender.

"Who are you?" Diggle barked, both he and Roy aiming their guns at the woman's chest. They wouldn't hesitate in putting her down if they had to. Oliver kept the grip on his gun steady as he took in the shivering woman. She didn't look crazy even though she had to be for breaking into his home.

"I'm someone that needs help," she said, her voice slightly trembling. When none answered she tried again, "I mean no harm."

"Clearly," Roy chuckled at her choice of words. The woman was crazy if she thought that she could get away from invading Oliver's Queen home and spout out words like that.

"Please," she begged, an edge in her voice as she squinted at them, the light still in her eyes, "I need your help."

"Who the hell are you?" Oliver's hard voice finally asked. "How did you get in here?" he spit out, his voice filled with venom as he stepped out from behind Roy. The sight of him approaching with his gun at the ready and his harsh voice made the woman gulp, more than the cold causing her to shake.

"My name is Felicity. I…I told you…I need your help," Felicity repeated as Oliver's body blocked the light, letting her get her first real look at him. Oliver's cold gaze kept her shaken but slightly determined one.

"And what gave you the impression that I would help someone that has invaded my home?" he growled out.

"There was no other way," she snapped lightly, his anger starting to be contagious. The power came back on and filled the room with light.

With the lights on Oliver could actually look at the intruder. The young woman had jet-black hair, dirty clothes and ruined make up clouding her eyes. Her hands were still raised up while her body trembled slightly. She looked scared but her eyes looked determined.

"I don't know who you are. But I assure you, you've picked the wrong house to mess around with," Oliver said coldly as she took a deep breathe. Something in her posture changed after it.

"I know exactly what I'm doing here Mr. Queen," she said defiantly, her hands coming down and resting on her hips.

"And what exactly is that?" he asked her, his tone daring her to try to keep playing this game. This woman broke into his house and he didn't have time for her wishes. What he really wanted to know is how she'd gotten in.

"I'm here to speak with The Crow," she sneered as she glared at him. And for a second, Oliver almost couldn't believe the girl's audacity. Almost.

"You shouldn't talk about things you have no idea about little girl," Oliver threatened. Her using his Bratva name changed everything. This wasn't an attack on Oliver Queen. The comment seemed to make Felicity bristle.

"Then I guess it's good that I know all about it then," she barked, a fire burning in her eyes. She was a woman with a mission and she wouldn't back off, even if Oliver Queen were coming off as more of an asshole than she expected.

"If you know as much as you claim then what is stopping me from ordering my men to put a bullet in your brain?" Oliver asked coldly, and Felicity didn't know why she was even remotely surprised with his detachment. She should have known better than this. She knew how The Crow got here.

"Curiosity," she simply answered, trying to look as brave as she sounded. She was trembling and quite frankly terrified. Oliver Queen wasn't the kind of man you should mess with but she had no other choice.

"Really?" Oliver asked, a fake smile painted on his lips. He was amused at her gall.

She pinned him with a pointed look, "Curiosity and the fact that I can give you the only thing that you desire but can't have."

"And what is that?" Oliver asked her as he slowly took off the safety from his gun. Her eyes followed his movement, filling her with fear.

Squaring her shoulders she pulled at the courage left in her, "Revenge against the ones that took your family away from you."

"You have no idea what you're talking about!" Oliver snapped angrily, his control slipping for a second.

Felicity pushed forward, "I know that your entire family was murdered right in front of your eyes when you were ten years old. I know that you have spent the last 20 years thinking about it. I know since becoming the Bratva Captain you've tried to get the revenge you so desperately want. But most important I know you haven't had any success despite your many attempts."

"Shut up," Oliver warned as he lowered his gun and marched towards her. He stopped so close that she could practically feel the heat irradiating from his body, "I should kill you for even daring say this to me."

"Oliver," Diggle said, making Oliver take a step back as he regained his slipping control.

"Get her out of my sight," Oliver barked as he kept a watch on her, "I don't have time for you or the things you 'think' you know."

Roy walked up to Felicity and grabbed her arm. She ground her feet and tried to set herself free in a desperate last attempt to make Oliver listen to her as he turned away.

"Think I know? I don't just 'think' I know! I know you are looking for a way to make China White pay. I know The Triad ruined your life and you have spent the past two decades obsessed over it. I know you can't do anything, not when there is such a delicate balance between the Triad and Bratva. I know you are forbidden on acting on it," Felicity shouted, laying all her cards down as Oliver slowly turned around to look at her, Roy's grip loosening on her arm, "I know how it has been killing you inside. How its been consuming you to the point where you aren't sure if there's nothing else left besides the desire to see the light fading from her eyes as she takes her last breathe. That's what I know."

"And how would you know that, Fe-li-city?!" Oliver asked as he rushed to her side, tightly grabbing her other arm as Roy took a step back.

"Because China White killed my family too! And I'm going to make her pay, with or without your help! I won't rest till I see that bitch burn for what she did to my family!" Felicity said as she broke from his hold, her eyes burning, anger and hatred filling her blue irises.

They both watched each other, chests heaving as they glared at each other.

"_Harper!" _Oliver shouted, without any regard to the fact that he was yelling in Felicity's face. She someone upped her glare.

"_Yes, Captain?" _Roy replied in Russian.

"_Take her to one of the guest rooms and make sure Lance keeps an eye on her. She's filthy," _Oliver said, his face scrunching up in disgust as he looked down at her ripped jeans and combat boots before landing on her dripping hair. From the way she reeled back he knew that she understood the judging look.

"_Yes, sir," _Roy answered, grabbing Felicity once more by the arm and taking her away.

"Hey! Let me go!" Felicity fought in vain against the tight grip on her arm as she stumbled to the door. She looked back at Oliver, "Where is he taking me?"

"You're filthy and ruining my carpet," Oliver said simply as he walked to a side table and poured himself a drink. He found pleasure in the way she bristled and tried in vain to fight against the grip on her arm.

* * *

><p>It was a whirlwind as Roy dragged her down the hallways of the Queen Mansion with no regard to the fact that she was having trouble keeping up. He didn't answer her questions or take in her protests as they reached a door and he pushed her inside. She heard a click as she pounded at the door.<p>

"Hey, let me out!" Felicity shouted to no avail. When no one answered and the door didn't give in she let her head hang, "Damn it!"

This wasn't going like she expected.

Slamming her fist against the door one more time she looked around at the expensive looking room. It looked like a 4 star hotel, or what she imagined a 4 star hotel looked like. Depositing her bag on the bed she wondered what the heck she was supposed to do now and what The Crow would do to her when he returned.

She heard another click and turned just in time to see the door open and a robe being thrown at her by a blonde woman.

"Mr. Queen isn't a patient man. Wash yourself and don't take your time," she commanded before disappearing and locking the door behind her.

Felicity stared at the door in confusion before looking down at the brown robe in her hands. Barely 10 minutes into being in the mansion and she was already being asked to shower because she looked 'filthy'. She rubbed her temples as she made her way to the open door to her left where she could see the bathroom. A shower sounded good right now.

She ignored her reflection as she set the water and began to peel off her wet clothes. Oliver Queen wasn't what she expected. She wondered if she made a mistake for a brief moment before casting the thought aside. He was big and he was imposing but she had already gotten this far. She might as well keep on going.

Leaving her clothes and boots on the floor Felicity opened the shower door. A hiss escaped her lips as she stepped under the stream of water. The water was too hot. Lowering it a bit she let the water wash over the front of her body. She felt like the cold had sunk into her bones since she ran; in those streets, in that hotel, in that bus, in that storm drain. And for the first time in hours she felt herself thaw.

Cupping her hands she let the water pool there, the water a bit murky. Parting her hands she let it fall. She hadn't realized how dirty she got in that storm drain. The water by her feet was grey with hints of brown that trailed from her mud-covered calves. Ripping the cover off a soapbox on a shelf next to her she began to lather herself up. It threw her off how a simple soap bar could erase the signs of Cooper's blood on her chest, the mud on her legs, the grime on her hands. It was as if nothing had happened and she wasn't in the home of the infamous Bratva Captain The Crow after foolishly breaking into his home in an attempt to seek help.

Tilting her head back she ran a soapy hand over it. What had happened in the other room was almost the scariest thing she had ever done. In theory she had planned everything on the bus. She knew what she was going to do and where to go. But the last part…she felt like she winged it. That maybe she could have done better because it had been scary as hell. Looking into those blue eyes, challenging him, telling him that he wasn't good enough to get his revenge and that he needed her help to destroy China White. All of it was terrifying no matter how tough she tried to act.

Now all she could do is wait and see what he would do. What he would say.

Cooper's scared face came to mind and a shudder went through her even though the water had warmed her thoroughly. She had promised to lock her pain away, keep herself numb while she was here…but she couldn't help herself. She would never see them again so she would live for them despite the pain she felt; use their lose to strive to give them the justice they deserved. It had already brought her a great distance and with the help of The Crow she knew she could achieve it.

She set the soap down and began to wash off.

What she experienced in the library was just a taste of how things were going to change for her if The Crow allowed her to take this path with him. She was entering a life that wasn't gentle, kind or fair. She was entering a world of the wicked where if she didn't keep up she would be pulled down just like Chuck, Rory, Sin, and Cooper.

* * *

><p>Felicity tied off the brown bathrobe that the mysterious blonde had thrown at her earlier. Her clothes were ruined, pooled down on the bathroom floor. She frowned as she wondered if there was any way to savage her favorite leather jacket and combat boots. Probably not.<p>

As she looked over her reflection in the mirror she could barely recognize herself. Her dark hair was matted to her head, her makeup long gone, and her eyes red. She was paler and dark circles were forming under her eyes. She looked empty, a ghost of herself even though she felt better than she had in hours.

She couldn't stand looking at herself.

Taking a deep and somewhat relaxing breath, she tucked her hair behind her ears before opening the bathroom door. Her eyes zeroed in on the intruder sitting on the bed, Oliver Queen.

He was casually sitting down on the large bed, his suit jacket and tie long gone with his dress shirtsleeves rolled up. For the first time Felicity actually took a look at Oliver Queen. He was a severely handsome man that combined with his devil-may-care attitude and broken nature could bring all the girls and boys to the yard. And no matter how angry and intense he seemed he was a mystery. Felicity hated mysteries.

He must have heard her because he turned his body to her, his eyes boring into hers as if trying to figure her out while keeping his guard up. In many ways he was just like her. Her thoughts screeched to a halt when she realized what he had in his hands.

She lost it.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she shouted, rushing towards the bed and packing her things back into her bag. Her entire life was on display for him on that bed and she had no idea how long he had been there, how much he had seen.

"Trying to figure out the mystery of Felicity Meghan Smoak," he shot back in a husky voice; holding up her ID.

"You had no right to go through my stuff!" she roared, not caring that she was in his home as his guest/intruder and that he knew her full name. He'd probably sent out his lousy security system to look her up.

"Just like you didn't have a right to invade my home. Yet, here you are," he said coldly, throwing her ID onto the bed. Felicity snatched it up and put it inside her bag. "Now, how did you get inside the mansion?" he asked her, wondering who was to blame. The Queen Mansion was supposed to be the safest place in Starling City, and yet a woman had slipped through.

"I…I hacked into the power grid," she answered as she checked her antique radio and faded copy of The Hobbit for damage. She packed them away when she knew they were ok.

"The power grid? The cities power grid?" he asked, trying to hide his surprise.

"Yes. I shut down this section for a few minutes by overloading the system with the press of a button. I cut off the power, your sensors and alarms, and had access to your guard locations. No offense, but your security system sucks. Any half decent hacker could get in," she rambled on as Oliver continued to watch her. There was curiosity in those hard eyes. She pressed her lips together to stop her rambling, "Anyway, I used a storm drain to get to the mansion. You've got a manhole in the old garden house on the other side of the property. You need to A) close off that entrance and B) not have a big blank space on the blueprints you submit to city hall. Doesn't take a genius to figure out that your safe room is there. Knew you were coming there so I waited near by for you to find me."

She bit her lip to contain her rambling. She was seeking the Bratva Captain's help and here she was insulting him.

Oliver gave a hum, calculating eyes processing her words. He would have to tell John to check everything she was admitting to him, "Now that seems like a lot of work."

Placing her freshly packed bag back on the bed she chose her words carefully. This was where he was gauging if he'd help her, "It was worth it. I needed to get your attention and somehow I knew I wouldn't get your attention by coming to the front gate."

"So, what did the single daughter of a cocktail waitress from Las Vegas and a graduate in Computer Sciences from M.I.T, do to piss off China White? What could a girl like you do to get on what I assume is the Triad black list?" Oliver asked her, confirming her suspicions that he'd looked her up. He probably knew her security number by now.

"It's a long story," she said angrily as she grabbed her bag and moved to sit down in an armchair across the room.

"Please, Ms. Smoak. I have time," Oliver replied sarcastically as he leaned forward on his forearms. He was getting all the information that he needed to make his decision.

Shifting uncomfortably in the armchair she looked away from his ever present and quite frankly, infuriating stare of The Crow, "I…we…me and my friends, we're hackers. Or at least, we used to be. We were hacktivists."

He raised a brow, "Hacktivists?"

"We used to hack into the accounts and systems that belonged to the corrupt and take from them what they took from innocent people. We used to think we were helping people out. Helping make the world a better place. We only took from those that deserved it, giving it back to the poor and oppressed. With a couple key strokes we could serve out justice," she said, her words sounding recited and empty.

"How very Robin Hood of you," Oliver said coldly, clearly not impressed by her story. "So you decided to steal from the mob? From the Chinese mob? How stupid could you be?" Oliver snorted.

"Like the mob was innocent? The Triad is the pure definition of evil! They ruin people's lives! They murder, steal, and corrupt everything they touch! They got what they deserved," Felicity fumed, as Oliver stared at her with disdain.

"You have a very innocent definition of the world then Ms. Smoak. The world is not filled only with bad and good people. It's not black and white. There are endless shades of grey in between," Oliver told her, scratching his stubble as he watched Felicity.

"And who's saying that exactly? Oliver Queen - CEO or The Crow – Bratva Captain?" she challenged him, and Oliver didn't know if he wanted to smile or to show the dark haired woman how the world actually worked. She seemed to be in need of it.

"The world is a dark place Ms. Smoak. Filled with darkness and terror. The Triad is a part of it. Just like the Bratva is. And you and your friends got in the middle of very dangerous business. No one steals from us and walks away alive. You all should have known better. And now you've paid the price," Oliver said with such finality that she wanted to stalk across the room and punch him in the face. The fact that he still had his gun on him stopped her.

"They didn't deserve to die. Not like that. Not for stealing money from a monstrous criminal organization to give to people that they've hurt and that needed it more than they did!" Felicity shouted angrily. She took a deep breath before continuing, "They…they took their bodies. There will be no caskets, no funerals, and no final goodbyes. Their families will never know what happened to them. My friends deserved better than this!" For the first time since she left her hotel she felt the sting of hot tears behind her eyes. Yet, she didn't let then fall. She wouldn't cry in front of this man.

"And what exactly do you want me to say Ms. Smoak? That I'm sorry? The death of your friends means nothing to me. This is not Bratva business and it's not my business. You got yourself into this mess and Triad doesn't forgive."

"So this is it? This is all The Crow has to say?" Felicity shouted, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"You should be grateful that I listened to you at all," Oliver said, getting up from the bed, "And keeping you alive so long. Not many people can say they've had this privilege."

Felicity stood from the armchair. This was going badly, "If you don't help me I'm as good as dead. You know this."

"Again, Ms. Smoak, not my problem."

Leaving her bad there she approached him. "How can you even say that? After what that woman did to you!" she said before stopping right out of his reach, "To your family."

Oliver tensed where he stood. She was skirting around something she shouldn't and he was almost at his wits end. "Don't think you know shit about me just because you read it on a computer screen," Oliver said his posture and voice steady but threatening.

"I know enough about you. I know that you have been waiting for this chance. I know that you will spend the rest of your life waiting for it unless you have someone like me on your side. Let me help you!"

"Help me?" he said, a fake laugh escaping his lips, "How could you possibly help me? You already told me how you got in. That problem is solved. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into it. This is a very dangerous game you are playing here."

"I happen to be very good at this game, Mr. Queen. I'm very good at finding out people's secrets, things that they wouldn't want other people to know about and the places they hide them in. I won't stop till that woman is behind bars!" she shouted, not realizing how close she'd gotten to Oliver.

"You're delusional," he growled out, looking down at her.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing, Mr. Queen. No one is untouchable. I will find a way to bring her down. To bring the entire Triad down. I'm giving you a choice to help me and in turn get what you've always wanted!"

He grabbed her shoulders and gave a shake, "You have a lot of guts saying something like that. What makes you think that I won't just give you up to China White?"

"Because if there's someone that hates her as much as me, it's you!" she shouted as she pushed him away. They stared at each other, both livid and wondering how they could even work together.

Deep inside Oliver knew that he shouldn't even be listening to this woman. She was an uncontrollable variable and someone that might end up ruining all his plans. But he couldn't help the nagging feeling that somehow she was right. He had been trying to find a way to end China White, her father and The Triad for the past twenty years. And yet, nothing seemed to work. They were untouchable. And not only that, Anatoly had forbidden him from ever taking action against them. Their leader in Russia loved to remind him that his revenge was selfish, that a very delicate balance kept the civility between the Bratva, Triad and the Italians and that a war between the criminal organizations would lead to a blood bath. Maybe even the annihilation of all of them.

And here an opportunity stood. A woman who had lost her family and had turned to the enemy of her enemy for help.

Felicity pulled him from his thoughts as she began to pace lightly, "And let's be honest. The way that I got into your system. Easiest thing I've done in ages. Besides helping you with China White I can help you fix the holes in your security so 'little girls' like me don't hack in and take control like I did. This is worthwhile. This is worth a yes! This is worth trying to find a way to help each other."

"I don't know if I should think that you're bright or terribly stupid," Oliver smirked, watching as she stopped to throw him a glare. She had guts talking to him like this. It was proof that she was a wild card but maybe a useful one.

"So, what do you say? Do we work together to help destroy the people that have taken our families away or do we go our separate ways and keep on trying in vain? I have the hacking skills and you have the cash and a set of skills your own that can help us take them on. This can work," she rambled, ignoring his previous comment, "Do we have a deal, Captain?"

"If we do this, we're going to do it my own way," Oliver barked with authority. If he was going to take this risk he was going to make sure she knew who was in charge. By the nod she gave him, she understood.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Felicity agreed before offering her hand, nervous and excited inside. She was one step closer, "So, partners?"

Oliver stared at her hand for a few seconds. In another life handshakes meant trust and an understanding that both parties agreed. In Bratva such a handshake meant nothing as each turn was met with betrayal and doubt. This felt different. This slip of a woman was offering to help him with something dear to him for no other reason that she wanted justice for what happened to her family…just like he wanted for his. And for some inexplicable reason, he felt that maybe he could take the leap of faith that she was offering. Sure he still had control but maybe this partnership with Felicity Smoak could change everything. Maybe she would be the one to help him. Maybe he would find some justice and peace for him and his family. Just maybe.

Oliver took her hand, "Partners."

* * *

><p>With a slim smile on his lips, Oliver removed his cellphone from his pants pockets and dialed a number. It rang for a few seconds, before someone on the other side of the line picked it up.<p>

"_Sara, I need you to get some clothes for me. Yes, around your size. Just pick everything that you'd never wear. Hair dye as well…blonde. Her hairs black. Shoes too. All of them. Meet at the house and make it quick," _Oliver said into his phone before hanging up quickly, making Felicity wonder why he was speaking in Russian. She realized that she probably wasn't supposed to hear what he was saying.

"There," Oliver said, a strange pleased expression on his face.

"What?" she asked him, unsure.

"I just saved your life, Ms. Smoak. Now I've set you up for what comes next."

Her face scrunched up in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

"We need to make some changes. China White knows what you look like but we don't know if she knows your identity or if she only tracked you to where you and your friends hacked her. Lets hope for the second option."

"So?"

"So, this means that she will be looking for a Goth, dark haired, hacker. We need you to be as far from that image as possible."

"You want me to change my hair?" she asked in surprise as her hand came up to her still damp hair. She'd forgotten that she only had a robe shielding her.

He fiddled with a lock of hair resting on her shoulder, "No, Ms. Smoak. I want you to change everything about you. The woman that you were is dead. If you want to survive, and to avenge your friends, you need to become someone else."

"I don't want to change who I am," she said with a frown, stepping back from his touch.

"Consider this your own witness protection program. If you want to live, if you want to work together, you will do what I say. I told you Ms. Smoak, we would play by my rules."

"Fine," she said, crossing her arms against her chest in frustration. She hadn't thought of this. No matter how much of a look China White had gotten of her as Felicity ran, she'd still gotten a glance.

"Excellent. Now come, I will show you your room," he walked the door and expected her to follow.

Felicity grabbed her bag and approached him cautiously, "My room?"

"The mansion is the safest place in Starling City – even with my crappy security system, as you said. I will take you to the west wing, you will be safe there," Oliver said as stepped towards the door. Felicity followed after.

"Wait!" Felicity shouted.

"What, Ms. Smoak?"

"I can't go out like this," Felicity said awkwardly, pulling the top of the robe closed. He gave her a once over and she held the backpack close to her chest.

"Why is that?"

"I can't walk around in a bathrobe," she hissed.

"Are you being modest, Ms. Smoak? I can clear the hallways if you like," Oliver mused, clearly making fun of her, which only made her angrier.

Before Felicity could reply with a scathing remark of her own, there was a knock at the door.

"_Come in,"_ Oliver said, his judging eyes never leaving Felicity's. Not surprisingly Felicity didn't back down.

"Mr. Queen, may I have a minute?" Diggle asked from the open door.

"I will be out in a second," Oliver said to Diggle, as Felicity watched the exchange with curiosity.

"You stay right here Ms. Smoak. I'll be back in a bit," Oliver said as Felicity nodded, still holding the robe tight as she sat on the bed.

Oliver walked out the door and closed it behind him. Diggle was waiting for him, his hands deep in his pockets and a wary look on his face.

"So, I guess you made your decision and chose to not kill the girl," Diggle whispered, trying to keep things as quiet as possible. There were eyes and ears even in this house.

"She got in here John. All by herself she got in, hacked into our security system and then made met us right in front of the bunker. Besides she made some valid points. You checked her out yourself, she's legit," Oliver said, his tone low and short.

"All we know is that she is who she say she is. She may not be FBI, CIA or Interpol, but it doesn't mean she isn't dangerous. Are you sure that she isn't one of Anatoly's spies? Another test?" Diggle asked, clearly worried.

"Trust me, that girl doesn't have a lying bone in her body," Oliver said as he thought of all the buttons he had pushed when speaking to her.

"No. She just messed with very dangerous people," Diggle said with a sigh, "Oliver, I want you to think this through. This is dangerous. If Anatoly finds out that she is wanted by Triad and that you have been hiding her – he will forget he is your uncle. You will be considered a traitor to the brotherhood. And you know how he deals with traitors."

"Diggle, he left me no other choice. All our attempts to get China White have failed. We've run out of options and out of time. That girl may be my last option. Besides, if we fail she's the perfect scapegoat. She'll take the fall and we will be protected," Oliver said with clenched hands.

"Well, I sure as hell hope she is worth the trouble. Because that girl," Diggle pointed at the door behind Oliver, "could be the end of both of us."

* * *

><p>When Oliver walked back into the bedroom he found Felicity perched on the edge of the bed, her eyes scanning a small book, totally engrossed in it so she didn't even acknowledge his entrance. It was the yellowed copy of The Hobbit he'd seen in her bag earlier. He looked over the woman that came crashing into his life, wondering how far she was willing to go in this.<p>

Another knock at the door interrupted him.

"_Yes?"_ Oliver asked, making Felicity look up at him.

"_Captain, I got the items you asked me to get,"_ a feminine voice replied in Russian.

"Come in, Sara," Oliver said, opening the door as Felicity looked on curiously.

Sara walked into the room, her steps firm and her head up high as she scanned the room, eyes holding on Felicity for a bit. She had a few bags in her hands and she didn't seem too pleased. Felicity recognized her as the blonde from earlier.

"Good. Now, would you help Ms. Smoak with all of this, Sara? We need to make some changes," Oliver said, finally letting Felicity understand what was happening and what that call earlier was all about.

"Yes, sir," Sara replied, her posture tense and her tone formal. She was another soldier for The Crow, Felicity was sure of it.

"Take her to the room in the west wing that has the view of the gardens. Ms. Smoak will be staying there from now on."

"Yes, sir." Sara replied, dumping the bags on the bed and unpacking.

Oliver walked over to the door and glanced at Felicity one more time, "I'll see you in a few Ms. Smoak."

* * *

><p>Almost three hours passed before Sara called to say Felicity Smoak was ready.<p>

He walked through the luxurious hallways, towards the area where five of the twelve bedrooms of the mansion sat. The large master bedroom that now belonged to Felicity was one of the most sophisticated and opulent rooms in the mansion, with its large windows, sleek furniture and dark floors. It had a fireplace and ample room for a separate sitting area. Not many knew that it used to be one of his mother's favorite rooms.

He stopped in front of the door for a second, wondering if he should knock first or simply walk him – after all, it was his house. He ended up knocking, thinking his mother would have liked him to have some manners.

"Come in," Felicity said from inside the room.

Oliver opened the door, only to find Sara putting away endless items and Felicity sitting down in a small bench under one of the large windows of the room. She was staring out at the sky, watching as the sky was painted in yellows and oranges, pushing the darkness of the night away. He couldn't help locking in on her fair hair.

It really had been a long day.

"_I thought you liked them brunettes,_" Sara teased in Russian. Felicity didn't acknowledge his entrance.

"_I like them any shape and form,"_ Oliver replied with a smirk. From what he could tell the woman sitting by the window wasn't the woman who walked through a storm drain to get into his library, _"Good job."_

"_It's been a long night. May I leave, now?" _Sara asked him.

Oliver nodded,_ "Go, you did good tonight. Tomorrow I will debrief you."_

"_Thank you, sir," _Sara said, walking out of the room and leaving Oliver and Felicity alone.

"You look good," Oliver said as he stepped forward. He ran his gaze up the pale skin of her legs that now were exposed in her short magenta dress and black heels that now adorned her feet; thin straps around her dainty ankles.

"This isn't who I am," she finally said, melancholy filling her voice. She turned to look at Oliver and he paused in walking towards her. She looked beautiful.

Her fingers were fumbling with a pair of glasses in her hands, "This is you now, Felicity. This will keep the Triad off your scent for a while."

Looking down at her hands she agreed with him, "I know." She understood why she had to do this. Didn't mean that she had to like it. She had fought against a change like this all her life. Hell, she had gotten into plenty of fights with her mother because of this. And now she sat here, feeling lost and like her independence had been stripped from her because she was now blonde and looked eerily like her mother.

She was surprised when Oliver came to sit on the opposite side of the bench, "Did Sara give you those?"

Felicity gave a nod as she slipped the glasses on. They felt odd on her face, "Yeah. She said it would help."

"They do. You don't look like the shaking and wet girl that most likely ruined my carpet," Oliver cut in. She shot him a look as he looked over her, "And your piercings?"

"All of them are gone except for this one," her hand came up to touch her ear, "Sara said I should ask you if it was ok to keep it?"

He glanced at her industrial piercing, "It's fine. You look brand new."

Felicity snorted, pushing her glasses back up, "I look like my mother. Mr. Queen…"

"Oliver," he corrected, "Call me Oliver. Once we discuss the terms of this agreement I'm pretty sure you'll be calling me by my first name."

"What?"

"I'm risking my life taking you on and keeping you safe. And if we're going to do this right addition measures have to be taken to make sure that the Bratva isn't implicated. Still interested Ms. Smoak?" he challenged. She actually rolled her eyes a bit without noticing.

"Of course. Till the last Triad member burns. And call me Felicity," she said as she turned her body to him, "Now what are the terms?"

He gave a slow and dangerous smile that made her shift in her seat. Both could feel the partnership beginning to cement, "Well Felicity. Now that your appearance has been changed let's talk about step two: house rules and fixing the mess you made of my system."

* * *

><p>She rushed through the halls as fast as she could. She didn't want to bring attention to herself but she needed to make this call. What she had seen in the past couple hours didn't make sense. Three guards and four halls later she was in her room, door locked behind her.<p>

Slipping her phone from her apron, Anya dialed a number quickly. It took a couple seconds for the other side to pick up.

"_Yes?"_

"_It's Anya. I think we have a problem."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hi guys! We hope you all have enjoyed the third chapter of The Crow! We're really getting things rolling now that they've met!**

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**PoisonAngelMuse and TheAlternativeSource**


	4. Courage Or The Fall

**The Crow Chapter 4 - Courage Or The Fall**

**Disclaimer: **We own nothing but our plot and our own characters. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to DC Comics and CW Television. All rights over this idea and its concepts belong to us. This work is intended for the private enjoyment of the reader and is not to be shared on any other sites (besides AO3 and FF) or events without our express permission.

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><p><strong>AN: Hi everyone! We hope you are all having as much fun with this story as we are! It will be a crazy ride! Let's hope this chapter will be as fun as watching Arrow coming back!**

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><p><em>Man wasn't made to live alone<br>That's why I have my enemies  
>Whenever I close my eyes<br>They're all I can see  
>Every man needs his saviour<br>Every saviour needs his task  
>But which one am I, the man or the one behind the mask?<br>What comes first, the courage or the fall?_

_Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh_

_Is that a savior outside my window?  
>Or is that a reflection of me?<em>

She wished she could settle into the room properly, finally have a small panic attack at her brazen entrance into the mansion, or go over and contemplate what the hell she was doing here and how she was really going to survive. Oliver gave her no such chance. He left the bench they'd been sitting on and moved to sit in an armchair, "If we're going to do this then there are some rules you're going to have to follow."

Felicity gave a nod and followed his lead at a slow place, not used to the heels on her feet. She sat on the edge of the bed. She felt more comfortable with her bag, her whole world, near her, "Ok so where do we start?"

He still had that dangerous look to him, "First off, you stay out of anything that you don't belong too."

"What?"

"You are here under special circumstances and because I allow you too. That means that we work on what was agreed. You don't meddle with any other Bratva business. Do you understand?"

She gave a little huff at the tone of his voice but agreed, "Yes."

"Secondly you need to trust my judgment when it comes to any matters in this partnership."

"Such as?"

"Such as safety. Where you can and can't go? Who you can speak too?"

"And the answers to that would be?"

He signaled to the room around them with a tilt of his head, "This wing is cut off from the rest of the house. No one allowed in it besides you and a couple people I trust. You are not to leave this wing without supervision and you are only allowed to speak or be escorted around by myself, John, Roy, or Sara."

She thought back to her first moments in the mansion, "Those were the two men in the library?"

"Yes. And the woman who," he pointed at all of her, "did all of this. Do not trust anyone else because I won't send anyone else. Understand?"

She nodded, cataloguing away the 'rules'. She needed this and wasn't planning on breaking them, "Crystal."

"Now let's get back to the mess you made of my system."

"I'll fix it," Felicity supplied, eyes lighting up at the thought of fixing the mansions poor and abused system. She wasn't lying when she said it was one of the easiest things she'd done in ages, "I'll fix everything I broke…well really infected. The program I had was a bit invasive when I activated it. Sticks to things like glue. Going to take a mighty tool to scrape it out. I'm going to need some special equipment to fix it and beef up your security."

Felicity looked down for a second in embarrassment. She hadn't rambled like that in a while. Oliver took it in stride, "Fine. Make a list and give it to Sara. She knows the most about computers in the circle of people I trust. She'll be watching you when you do the upgrades or mess around with any computer equipment. Including the phone and laptop that Sara confiscated earlier."

Felicity smoothed over the material of her dress, hiding her anger. She had been pissed when Sara had taken her equipment, saying that it needed to be checked for any additional malicious programs like the one she'd placed into the Queen security system. Now he was telling her that he was taking it a step further and would have her watched all the time? Being watched was going to be something extremely new, "Am I really going to be watched around the clock?"

He gave her a look as if she had to be kidding, "Yes. There will always be someone nearby keeping an eye out for you. This is for your safety and mine, Ms. Smoak. As much as we both deem this place safe, there are ears and mouths everywhere, waiting to take what's mine. Also I don't trust you."

Felicity wanted to tell him, 'Right back at you' but she held her tongue. She was starting to understand that The Crow liked to push buttons to keep people on edge. If they were going to be partners in this then she had to try to work around this, "Understandable. And I told you to call me Felicity. If we're going to be doing this. If I had to go and change who I am with this stupid new look to just stay here, then at least call me by my name."

He held her gaze. A man would have to be blind not to notice how refined and vibrant she looked, despite the frown on her face, "Felicity, I don't trust you. Better?"

She dared to roll her eyes under the guise of pushing her glasses up her nose, "Miles better. What else?"

He leaned a bit forward at this and his whole body seemed to tense as his face and eyes hardened, "What we're…getting into is dangerous territory, we both know it. You wouldn't have gone to the lengths you did if you didn't. You also know the kind of reputation I have…what I would do to you if I found out you were double crossing me."

He held up a hand as she went to protest.

"There's nothing you can say. Betray me and China White will be the least of your concerns. Understand?" he warned in a cold and promising voice.

Felicity sat back a little more, edging away from Oliver as much as she could without looking like she was afraid. The look he was giving her was…scary, "Yes. I understand."

Some of the hardness in his face and tension in his body seemed to fade as he sat back in the armchair, "You also need to be careful. Everything you do could potentially lead you and now me and mine, to China White. So anything you do in the house or in my system comes with a caution sign."

Felicity didn't plan on leading China White anywhere near her. In fact if given the time or if they found her old equipment, because it was probably taken by the Triad by now, she planned on figuring out how they'd found them. Until then she would be careful and bid her time.

She caught on to something he had left out, "What about outside? Am I going to be stuck here?"

"Until things calm down and I send some people out to check your story, this will be your home. Sara will bring you meals and supply you with anything you need."

"And if I need to see you?" she asked cautiously.

"Sara as well. Now do you have any rules of your own? Things I should know?" he said as if the words physically hurt him. He wanted the conversation to end so he could check out her story and what they were going to do next.

Felicity gave a shake of her head. She was pretty sure that she should be offended by the attitude in his voice but she was admittedly getting tired and wanted the 'rule' exchange to end as much as Oliver wanted too, "No. I…don't have anything. Well besides peanuts. I'm allergic so if…Sara's going to bring me meals, she should know. I understand where I am and what has to be done."

"Good," Oliver said as he stood and began to walk to the door, "Someone will bring you some dinner before bed."

Felicity watched him go. Besides not sleeping, eating was something she hadn't done since she ran. His hand was right on the door when she called out to him. He turned to look at her.

She had so many things she could say to him right now. How this was a crazy plan and how she was grateful that he had given a random girl that had broken into his house a chance. Or how she was grateful to have somewhere to weather this storm. She had a multitude of different things she could say to him. Instead she settled on something simple.

"Thank you."

His jaw clenched and he turned to the door once more, "Don't thank me yet. I'm risking my life taking you in. We've only just begun."

Then he was gone.

* * *

><p>Her fingertips ran over the clothes, occasionally stopping to sometimes rub the fabric there between her fingers. This was all new, ridiculously new. It was something that she would have to get used to if she was going to do this, and she was.<p>

Giving a huff she thought back to the 'rule' session she had with Oliver.

"Control freak," she said under her breath as if someone was listening.

After the 'rule' exchange with Oliver and a light dinner dropped off by Roy, Felicity had peeled off her clothes and slipped into the remarkably comfortable bed. While she had contemplated/promised herself that she would have that panic attack where she questioned the decisions she had made and what had led her here, she didn't have a chance too. Her face had hit that pillow, her body had wrapped itself around that comforter and for the first time in hours she actually felt something remarkable. She felt safe. She was safe in the knowledge that no would get her here because she was needed by Oliver. He wouldn't let her come to any danger.

She fell asleep seconds after.

When she woke up the next morning she was tangled in the comforter and bed sheets, hugging a pillow to her chest. Letting out a yawn she looked around the room. She was lost for a couple seconds until she remembered where she was. Not bothering to get up she pushed down the pillow to peer at the clock at her bedside.

Felicity was surprised at the time. They had let her sleep almost to noon. Another surprise came in the form of a tray on the side table. She could make out a mug of what she hoped was coffee, a muffin, a banana, and a note sticking out from the side.

Her stomach growled and she pulled herself up, snatching the tray and placing it on the bed next to her. She took a sip of the room temperature coffee and read the note.

'New laptop & old equipment on bench. Sara is waiting outside your door. Get to work. -O'

And that's how it went for the next couple days; sleep and work with her trusty companion Sara and a multitude of surprises along the way.

Her fingers paused on a long black dress.

For the last couple of days this 'persona' that Oliver wanted her to adhere to started to become more real. She still couldn't recognize herself in the mirror in the morning. She had actually started avoiding it all together because of how she looked. Felicity thought of how much her mother would have loved to see her like this. And she wouldn't poke and prod at Felicity about how much it looked it better than the silly black hair she had, well not a lot. Donna Smoak would probably comment on how they looked like family, daughter and mother more now than ever.

She had worked for years to get away from the image of her mother, to not be under its pink sparkly thumb. But here she was. Standing in a big ass closet with wall-to-wall clothes that she'd never wear a week ago with a blonde head of hair to match. And it wasn't just regular clothes. When Sara had taken her measurements, with a frown on her face the size of Texas, she had come back with armloads of clothes and even shoes. These armloads of clothes and shoes were from name brands that she'd never heard of but that she was sure were more expensive than any piece of equipment she'd ever bought.

It's not that she hated the way she looked. She appreciated all the work that the stoic Sara had done to get her to look like this. It was the fact that she had carved a place in the world for herself where she controlled the way that she looked and what she wore. Here at the mansion she had to strip herself of that, give into something else. If she was going to follow through on all the promises she made to them she was going to sport the blonde hair and the designer clothes.

Besides adjusting to all the cosmetic changes and the new wardrobe, she spent the first couple days at the mansion with Sara a couple feet away while she set about fixing the mess she had made of the mansion's system. She had scraped everything away as promised, re-wrote the system because it was sad, before beefing up the mansions sensors with the new and shiny laptop that Sara had left for her, and made it so the mansion's system was an isolated fortress that would need a sledgehammer to get through. She'd even set up an encrypted channel for the guards to communicate with that even she would have a hard time breaking into.

All of this kept her busy. It kept her mind away from warring thoughts on whether she had taken this too far and that maybe her revenge was too much. It kept her body away from breaking down as soon as she opened her eyes and realized that she wasn't at home or at the apartment with the guys and Sin. It kept her busy from thinking of all that she had lost. It kept her going. She held onto that.

And then there was the surprise of Sara. Out of everyone she would say she spent the most time with Sara. Sara was there for every meal, every time she was on the computer, every time she even peeked out of her room. Sara was there. It was obvious the woman didn't like Felicity. Every glance, every stare proved it. She didn't like that she had to watch over Felicity and not work on whatever Bratva-y business she had to take care of.

Even the Bratva captain was a surprise. He wasn't as rough and horrible as she expected. Sure he was scary and probably spent a lot of time brooding but he was going to help her. It wasn't out of the kindness of his heart but he was there to help. Well not physically there. Strangely enough Oliver Queen had been absent the last couple days, not showing his face, while Felicity drove herself insane walking the length of her room in boredom after Sara took her electronics away for the night. This wasn't what she expected. Not even close.

Felicity was pulled out of her whirlwind thoughts when she heard the walk-in closet door open. Her fingers stopped trailing over the clothes and stopped on a blue flowing shirt. She turned around with a smile on her face, "I bet this would look great on you Sin. Just imagine…"

She stopped as her eyes landed on Sara, the smile slipping off her face. Felicity felt her throat tighten as she caught her slip-up. For a second her mind had tricked her into believing that she was home. Blinking rapidly to hold off the tears she gave Sara a tight smile.

"I'm sorry. Thought you were…someone else," Felicity apologized.

Something akin to a curiosity came over Sara's face as she watched Felicity, a tray in her hands, "I brought you dinner. I'll place it on the bench."

Felicity nodded, feeling the beginnings of a panic attack pulling at her. She needed Sara to go, "Thank you."

Sara stood there for a couple seconds. Felicity was sure the woman was going to say something, break the unspoken agreement that she wouldn't say anything besides what was agreed upon with Oliver, but she didn't. All she did was give Felicity a slight nod before turning around and leaving her once more…all alone.

When the door closed Felicity turned around and closed her eyes, her hand gripping the blue shirt. She hadn't been slammed like this with the fact that her friends were gone in…days. Not letting herself remember because of the pain that it would bring. The pain of remembering that Sin wasn't in the apartment. Sin wasn't here. Sin wasn't anywhere.

"Just breathe," she recited to herself in a whisper, her mind starting to settle with every shuddering breath she took, "It'll be ok. Just breathe."

* * *

><p>Felicity gave a content hum, her eyes still closed, while her body drifted between sleep and awareness. The sun was heating her skin, making her slowly turn in the bed and edge towards the heat. She loved these moments between sleep and being awake where her only concern was keeping snug as the heat chased her nightmares and fears away. She sighed and slowly opened her eyes, letting the sunshine wake her up. Her eyes sought out the customary morning breakfast left by Sara. What she didn't expect was to find Oliver Queen sitting in an armchair, next to her bed, watching her.<p>

She screamed.

"What the hell are you doing?" she shouted with a glare before shuffling back in the bed, still too sleepy to fully move, but wanting to put some distance between them.

"Good morning Ms. Smoak. I was starting to wonder if I would have had to wake you myself," Oliver said with a smirk.

"Do you always act like a creepy stalker or is this special treatment just for me?" she asked sarcastically as she pulled the covers up, trying to cover her body with it. She knew that she was showing more skin than she would normally like to, with the small pajama shorts and the thin white cami – all thanks to Sara. It was the blonde woman's way of getting revenge because Felicity gave a tiny complaint that the other pajamas she had picked up were way too big for her slim form.

"Oh you know, it's one of my many hobbies to watch you snore," Oliver replied; seemingly enjoying her discomfort.

"I don't snore!" Felicity said in an offended and sleepy voice. She wrapped her arms around a pillow and watched him.

"Well, now that you're up, here is your breakfast," Oliver said, pulling a tray out of no where and placing it next to her on the bed, "Sara told me this is all you've been eating." Oliver looked down at the coffee mug and the small muffin.

"Yeah, so?" Felicity questioned. She relinquished her hold on her pillow and sat up. She took the mug and let the caffeine take effect. She was in desperate need of it if she was going to have this conversation. "I haven't been very hungry lately."

"You won't be useful to me if you starve yourself to death," he said coldly, dropping the playfulness he'd been exuded at her discomfort. For a second Felicity almost thought he cared. Almost.

"Don't worry, Oliver. I promise I will survive long enough to conclude our unfinished business," she said into her coffee, soaking up the warmth with her hands.

"Good," Oliver replied, removing a small device from his pants pocket and turning it on. A small light flicked on and he placed it on the side table. She recognized it. It emitted a signal that disabled any listening devices in the area. "We better not take any extra risks, don't you think?" he said, as she stared at the device in question.

"You think someone is bugging the mansion?" she asked, not sure what to think.

"I'm sure someone is. A lot of people would like to take me down. Both as Oliver Queen and as The Crow. You know this. This way, we can be sure that our affairs won't escape this room. Even Sara uses one when she spends the days here," Oliver said with a smirk, almost enjoying the shocked look on Felicity's face. Yes, it was time for her to understand how dangerous this game they were playing could be.

"Good thing you came prepared then," she replied as she tried to school her face into a more calm and relaxed one.

"So, Felicity. I hope you have put the new and expensive equipment I've gotten you to good use? Did you take a good look at the mansion's security system? I think we both don't want anyone trying to get in here incognito, now do we?"

"After scrapping out everything I did I decided that…I re-wrote the security system. It was too archaic for me to try to really update it. Now it's running on an independent mainframe. So no one can hack it unless it's done from inside the mansion's private system. Which won't happen, as you have those really large, Russian guys with really big guns," she rambled, taking in Oliver's unimpressed look. "Anyway, I also updated your sensors and security footage systems. It's up and working along with an encrypted channel for your guards. Might even rival some of the security and sensors at the White House. I don't think you will have to worry about it anymore."

"Good," Oliver said, pleased with her work. The last thing he needed was someone to find the breaches in the old system. What happened before couldn't repeat itself ever again. He wouldn't let himself be vulnerable like that. "My contact at city hall deleted the files about the storm drains and worked on the mansion blueprints. They think there is a wine room there, now."

"Smart," she said, putting down her mug of coffee before eating her muffin, "What about the manhole in the old garden house?"

"My men already took care of it," Oliver said shortly.

"Good," Felicity said, continuing to eat her breakfast. She could tell that he had more to tell her.

"I need you to work on a list for all the equipment you need for us to start our operation. I'll send it to a secure location far away from the mansion and it's prying eyes. I actually have the perfect spot for it," Oliver said, thinking that his club's basement would be the perfect location. Hidden from prying eyes, and yet in a place that he would always be at. No one would suspect anything. Maybe Felicity could hide in there from time to time. There was enough room to put together a small kitchen, bedroom and bathroom; along with all the equipment, they may need. It was perfect.

"So, I will get to leave my cell then?" she asked with false brightness, the corners of her mouth pulled up.

"Your cell?" Oliver asked, crossing her arms against his chest, annoyed with the petulant tone she was using.

"You've had me locked away in this room for the past week. You send Sara here to bring me food and spend hours with me while I work away. I have zero connections with the outside world and I don't even have Internet access. All I have to do is work on your security system and try on all the new clothes Sara brings me. And it's a lot of clothes and shoes. I'm going insane in here, Oliver."

"Felicity, I only wish all prison cells were as luxurious as this bedroom," he spit out, eyes darkening, "You know you have to stay put. I'm not putting myself into any more risk because you're bored in here. You will stay put until I say so and that is final."

"Then at least let me work on something!" she said, throwing her hands up, "I can't spend the rest of my days here doing nothing besides working on your system and trying to figure out how to walk in those damn heels with Sara watching silently."

He gave her a flat stare, "I don't trust you with a computer and Wi-Fi. You're too wound up. You may be tempted to do something that may risk this entire operation. You need to stay out of sight and out of the hacker world. China White will send her little army of hackers after you if you get too close. And I won't let you lead them back to me. We need to do this right. We need strategy."

Felicity bristled, "I find your lack of faith in my ability's disturbing, Oliver. I'm known as one of the best hackers out there. Just look at what I did to your system!"

"And yet you and your friends got caught! I find your lack of love for your own life disturbing, Oracle," he ground out, ignoring Felicity's flinch and the way she deflated, "We need to think before making our next move. I didn't get as far as I have in life by acting irrationally."

"Then at least let me get out of this bedroom! I'm suffocating in here, Oliver!" Felicity begged, seeing how unaffected Oliver seemed to be with her discomfort. "Or at least let me be on my own! I don't need Sara to babysit me. I can take care of myself. It's not like I can do much being locked in this room."

"I'm sure you are, Felicity. You see, the problem here is that while I trust Sara implicitly, I can't say the same thing about you. So if you want my help to keep you safe and to go after the Triad, you will do as I say," Oliver said, getting up and moving towards the door as if the conversation was over, "I will be waiting for that list."

"I will deliver it to you tomorrow," she retorted, her jaw clenched tight, as she tried to control her growing frustration. She finished with, "Your Highness."

"Don't test me, Felicity. Trust is earned. Earn it because I'm not a very patient man," Oliver replied angrily before walking out of the room and letting the door slam closed behind him.

Felicity Smoak would be the end of him. He was sure of it.

* * *

><p>The dark wood floors and ceiling of the office that used to belong to Robert Queen exuded a decadent elegance. The vintage furniture, the old books in the built-in shelves, as well as the sculpted desk that now belonged to Oliver had an old world charm to it. Oliver had spent countless hours playing under that desk when he was a child, unaware of the kind of business that his father and his 'Uncle Toly' did for a living. Until this day, Oliver almost couldn't believe that his father would purposely get in bed with the Bratva. But looking back at it maybe he'd had no choice or fallen into this too fast without a way to escape. And if there was one thing that Oliver knew, was that no one could leave the brotherhood.<p>

His father had intertwined Queen Consolidated with the Bratva to keep the family business alive. And now it was Oliver's turn. The only difference was that Oliver had much more blood on his hands than his father.

These days his office was the only place besides his bedroom that he knew he could let go. To feel safe. Even if only for a second. He would let the old jazz records that belonged to his father, softly play in the background while he worked. Sometimes he would even enjoy a cigar, sitting down in one of the armchairs next to the large glass window, a tumbler of brandy in his hand. More often than not he would spend a piece of his day staring out the large window, wondering where he could have been if things were different.

Today was not one of these days. He couldn't seem to relax for one single second ever since Felicity Smoak came into his life. He was always aware, always waiting for something to go wrong. Always waiting for the consequences of the choice he was making. Because it was a hell of a big one.

Oliver looked down at the papers in front of him. He could feel the stiffness in the pen he was holding, the grip he kept on it close to the breaking point. He clenched his jaw, feeling the tension down his neck and across his shoulders. His precious control seemed to be slipping away. And he simply couldn't allow that.

There was a knock on the door of his office.

"_Come in,_" Oliver said, not looking up from his papers.

"We're here to debrief you, Captain," Roy said, not bothering to say it in Russian.

"Good," Oliver said as he turned the anti-bugging device on. Roy and Diggle, both wearing their street clothes came to stand in front of his desk. Sara was right behind them, not looking very happy, as she closed the door. Oliver knew she hated watching over Felicity and was waiting until she finally broke and voiced it.

Roy began, "We went to Ms. Smoak's apartment. It hasn't been touched. The doors were locked, there were no bugs, and no sign that anyone has been there since she left the place."

"That's good. Then we still have some time. They haven't found out her identity yet. What about the loft?" Oliver asked, putting his pen down and running his hand against the dark wood of his desk.

"The loft is a completely different story. It's been wiped clean," Diggle supplied, only confirming what Oliver already expected. "They took all the electronic devices and removed all evidence of any crime from there. Not one single fingertip was left behind. I'm sure they tracked their IP to that location, which could be considered a rookie mistake. But I checked with my source about The Raiders – they have been attacking dirty politicians and businessmen for the past five years. They have always been good at protecting themselves. I'm assuming that somewhere along the line someone made a serious mistake that cost their lives," Diggle said, as Oliver now moved to brush his fingers across his stubble, taking in all the information.

"Do you know who made the mistake?" Oliver asked. Diggle immediately knew what he wanted to know.

"My source told me that the Oracle aka Ms. Smoak couldn't be the one responsible for it. Unlike her counterparts she never leaves markers on her work. Nothing traceable. She's too good for that. Too smart. I may not like the idea of this woman being here, or you getting involved in this mess, but I know she wasn't the one responsible for that massacre."

"Good. That's good to hear. The last thing I need is to risk myself over a woman that is not who she says she is. Now we can really get into things," Oliver said callously. He turned to Sara, "Sara, your debrief?"

"Felicity Smoak has been following the rules. She spends a lot of time listening to a small old radio and reading an old book when she's not working. She talks a lot, sometimes to herself. She is clearly nervous to be in the mansion, and yet she hates to be locked in her bedroom. She hasn't tried to find a way to get into the network and hasn't turned her old computer or phone on. She seems stable, considering everything she went through," Sara said shortly, the annoyance clear in her tone.

Oliver watched her for a couple seconds, "Do you have something to say to me, Sara?"

"Sir, I'm sure that I can be of more use to you than just watching over Ms. Smoak." Sara said, frustrated, "I should be out in the field and not staring at a locked door from the inside and the outside and bringing her breakfast, lunch and dinner."

"Sara, you know that I can't trust my other men with this job. Diggle and Roy are with me. You are the only one I know I can count on to watch over her. I don't trust Felicity to be left by herself. She is a hazard to herself and to us especially after the death of her friends. We need to keep her on a tight leash, at least until I decide what to do," Oliver said shortly. Even though he understood Sara's frustration he needed her eyes on Felicity all the time. Besides, Sara was loyal and wouldn't try anything stupid, contrary to many of his Bratva men that would probably see an opportunity with the small blonde girl. To them, she was free game. And Oliver wouldn't allow that even though he wouldn't admit to care so much out loud. He had promised to keep her safe, and that's what he was going to do.

"Yes, Captain," Sara said, holding her tongue and her pride. She could hear Oliver's unspoken words and understood the meaning behind Oliver's final word. No woman would be hurt on her watch.

A knock on the door paused their conversation.

"_Come in!"_ Oliver called out.

Anya stepped into the office with a tray in her hands. _"I brought your coffee, Captain," _she said, putting the tray on top of a small coffee table next to the large couch that sat opposite to his desk.

"_Leave it there, Anya,"_ Oliver replied shortly. He didn't like knowing that she was that close by when he was speaking of these things.

"_Do you need anything else, sir?"_ Anya asked, crossing her arms behind her back, trying to exude obedience. Oliver knew better.

"_No. I will call you if I do,"_ Oliver said, watching as she nodded and left the room, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room.

Anya had been more present and paying much more attention to his every move. Oliver always knew her sole propose in there was to inform Anatoly of his every move, and it made him even tenser to realize that she must have sensed that something was going on in the past week.

While Anya was the housekeeper, she'd always been forbidden to walk into the west wing of the mansion – the wing where Oliver's family used to live before they were killed and where Oliver's bedroom lay. It was a sacred space, and only Diggle, Roy and Sara were allowed to walk freely into that side of the mansion. Sara and Roy would supervise as the maids cleaned it, making sure they didn't touch anything, nor spend any more time than necessary there. In addition, Roy and Sara lived in the west wing, assuring that Anya kept her nose out of the wing's business. He was sure that she still tried once in a blue moon but their constant presence deterred her greatly.

That was the only reason she didn't know about Felicity yet. And he sure as hell wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.

* * *

><p>Oliver was discussing Bratva business with Diggle when he heard the familiar tone coming from inside one of his desk drawers. It was the ringtone for one of his burner phones. And only one person had that particular number.<p>

Oliver took a large calming breathe, before digging it out and answering_, "Hello uncle."_

"_Oliver, my boy. How are you?"_ Anatoly Knyazev – The Pakhan, leader of the Solntsevskaya Bratva – said on the other side of the line.

"_I am well, uncle. How are you?"_ Oliver said, going over the regular pleasantries his uncle insisted on even though they had lost their proximity as family as Oliver grew older. Anatoly was his Leader, not this family. Not anymore.

Knowing that this call might take a while he looked up at John. The man gave him a nod and walked out of the office, leaving the Leader of Bratva and the Highest Ranked Captain to talk in private.

"_As strong as a bull! You know your old man Ollie, I will live until I am 120 years old,"_ Anatoly said with a laugh that only made Oliver roll his eyes at the use of his childhood nickname – he hated it.

"_That's good to hear, uncle,"_ Oliver replied, letting his body relax back against the leather desk chair.

"_So, how's business? Did the increase you predicted a few months ago go through?"_

"_Yes, our system is working perfectly. I'm thinking about doing some upgrades – that way we will be able to work with larger amounts and not bring any attention to us. I hope to be able to show you some results when I come to Moscow next month," _Oliver said, wondering if Felicity would object on helping him with his money laundering system at Queen Consolidated. While her whole 'Robin Hood' facade could be seen as noble for some people, it also showed her weakness, one that Oliver was more than willing to use to his advantage.

"_Excellent. You are making me proud, my boy,"_ Anatoly said, and Oliver wondered whom the older man was trying to fool – him or himself.

"_I'm glad my work has been pleasing you, __Pakhan,"_ Oliver said shortly.

"_I always knew you were going to be a good Brigadier, the best Captain I could hope for. One day you will be the Pakhan, Oliver. I want you to be ready for it,"_ Anatoly mused and Oliver instantly knew he was up to something. Anatoly had long left the sentimentalism behind.

"_It brings me joy that you think that one day I will be up to the task, uncle. That I'm worthy of such a position,_" Oliver said, trying to keep his tone neutral and holding so tightly onto the phone that he feared it might snap any moment now. He leaned forward and rested his elbows against the desk.

"_That is why I raised you the way I did, Oliver. So that you would be strong enough. You are like a son to me, my heir. And as such, we need to think about your future,"_ Anatoly said, making Oliver gulp. What did the old bastard have planned now?

"_My future?"_ Oliver questioned, hoping he wasn't showing in his voice how tense he was.

"_Ollie, I was your age once. I know what temptation looks like. But that doesn't mean you should risk everything over some fun between the sheets," _Anatoly said, clearly displeased.

"_Uncle, I have no idea what you are talking about," _Oliver tried to say, wondering what his affair with Helena had anything to do with it. After all, Anatoly never seemed to mind it before.

"_Oliver, there is no reason for you to try to deny it. I know there is a woman staying with you at the mansion."_

"_I…" _Oliver froze, not sure what to say. That'd never happened before with him. He always knew what to say because he always expected what people would say to him. But not this. He hoped he would have enough time to hide Felicity, to be able to remove her safely from the mansion. To find a safe place to hide her. But apparently he had run out of time.

"_I know it's convenient for your mistress of the season to stay with you, naked and willing, just waiting for your command. But I won´t allow a woman to ruin everything I worked my entire life to build. This is a liability I won´t take. I want this lover of yours, gone. Do you understand me?"_

"_Uncle, it's not like that. She's not my mistress,"_ Oliver said, knowing there was no other way. He would have to make Anatoly believe that Felicity belonged there, otherwise he wouldn't be able to protect her and all their future plans would fall apart before they even began. Because without him and his protection, Felicity would be as good as dead. They both knew this. Which is why she had come looking for his help in the first place.

"_Oliver, I am not a stupid man. Don´t treat me like one,"_ Anatoly said in a chastising tone.

"_That is not what I meant. There is a woman… she…she is special to me,"_ Oliver said, pressing his hand against his eyes, frustration filling every single cell in his body. He knew he was playing a dangerous game here. But it was the only way. There was no other choice to make. No other way for them to survive and fulfill their plans without his uncle knowing.

"_Special?"_ Anatoly asked curiously.

"_Special…different from any other woman I've ever meet… there is just something about her,"_ Oliver continued, trying to sound as enamored as he could.

"_So, tell me more about this special lady. Why haven't I heard about her before?" _Anatoly asked, voice still suspicious.

"_Well, I was waiting for it to become more serious before telling you about her, uncle,"_ Oliver rambled, feeling like an idiot at not being more prepared for this, _"Before bringing her into this life."_

"_What can be more serious than spending an entire week in the mansion? From what I heard, she hasn´t left the west wing of the mansion. And we both know that the west wing is your own personal territory,"_ Anatoly insisted. "_Ollie, I hope you won´t tell me that you locked the girl away with chains and are doing despicable things with her,"_ he teased.

"_No uncle. I asked her to come stay with me. We haven't been able to spend as much time as I would like lately."_

"_You did?" _Anatoly said, letting out a sigh,_ "Oliver, you must understand why I am worried here. In your entire life you've never let this kind of thing happen. It makes me wonder why it's different now."_

"_She's different. Simple as that," _Oliver cut in. He needed his uncle to believe this.

"_My boy, is that love that I am hearing?" _Anatoly teased_, "Well, then I can´t wait to meet the temptress that stole my nephew's heart. I expect you to bring this mysterious woman with you when you come to Russia in a few weeks."_

_Oliver felt something he hadn't felt in ages at the thought of bringing Felicity to Russia with him under the guise of stealing his heart. He felt fear. Clearing his throat he said, "Uncle, I'm not sure that will be possible."_

"_Nonsense, Ollie. If she will be the woman of a Captain, if you're going to bring her into our world then I need to meet her. I insist on her presence during our next meeting."_

"_Yes, uncle," _Oliver finally agreed, hanging his head. The commanding voice that Anatoly had used left no wiggle room. Felicity was going to be coming with him to Russia.

This was getting out of hand. Damn it.

"_Excellent. Now I will let you go. I am sure you have much more delightful things to do than to talk to your old uncle. I will see you in a few weeks, Oliver. You and your lovely woman." _And with that Anatoly ended the call. Oliver held onto the phone for about two seconds before tossing it at the wall with a yell of frustration.

"_Fuck!" _he shouted before pressing his fingers against his temples. His life just kept on getting more complicated by the second. He knew how much Felicity was going to like this.

"_What the hell am I going to do now?"_

* * *

><p>Oliver paced from one side to the other of the garden, his quick steps echoing, a cigarette hanging on his lips. The garden had been his mothers pride and joy when she was still alive. Because of this he made sure that the garden remained beautiful; still holding the most breath taking rose bushes he had ever seen. It used to calm him down to walk among the garden, sit down on the stone bench near the patio set and let the fresh air and flowery scent fill him. That's exactly why he had chosen this place to do it.<p>

Yet, he couldn't sit still or calm down until she got here.

It had been two days since his talk with Anatoly. Two days of frustrating mornings, agonizing afternoons, and sleepless nights. He had mulled over any possible way to get out of his promise to Anatoly while keeping Felicity here. And yet, he couldn't find a reason to why Felicity shouldn't accompany him to Russia.

While he was constantly frustrated with Felicity Smoak's smart mouth and lack of common sense, he also didn't want to expose her to Anatoly. He knew his uncle would use the opportunity to extract every single bit of information that he desired from her. And Oliver knew Anatoly wouldn't stop until he got everything that he wanted because he sensed that there was something there, something important to Oliver.

He was foolish to think he would be able to fool the _Pakhan._ He would see right through them, see that they didn't care for each other, that it was a means to an end. He would see through his lie and then both of them would be dammed. Yet, there was no choice to make. To tell Anatoly that Felicity was anything but The Crow's 'woman' would lead her to be pushed away as far from him as possible, and he wouldn't be able to protect her then or work with her. But to let Anatoly know the truth would mean both of their deaths. It was treason, and Anatoly never let a traitor of the brotherhood live to see another day.

So even though Oliver knew it was the only way, he still hated it. And with everyday that passed he felt the tension in his body increase to the point where not even the large shot of vodka he'd taken earlier had helped to settle his nerves. Tonight, he would have to put another mask on. Tonight, he would become someone else again. And he would lose another small piece of himself to protect both of them.

He hoped that it would be worth it.

The sound of high heels walking down the stone staircase that led to the garden, made him put out his cigarette and turn around. Felicity was walking down the stairs as Sara retreated to the mansion as instructed. They needed to be alone for this.

There was no denial that Felicity Smoak was a gorgeous woman. She was distinctly beautiful with the dark hair, scared eyes and even with the dirty Goth clothes; but as a blonde, she was simply breathtaking. And even though she wasn't pleased with the change in her looks, she exuded confidence in her new guise; glasses and all. Oliver could work with this. This beautiful and infuriating woman who rambled was someone he wouldn't mind pressing close, mouthing at her nape before stripping her and taking her on his bed. No one would question why Oliver Queen would be with a woman like her. No one would question why The Crow had chosen her to stay by his side.

And that's exactly what Oliver was counting on. Now, they just had to sell it.

She approached him in small steps, a fake smile on her lips as her eyes flickered around the garden. This had been the first time she'd been out of her room in nearly a week.

"You summoned me, oh all almighty one?" she asked, faking a sweet tone that only helped to set his nerves on fire. She wasn't making things easier for him.

"Fe-li-ci-ty," he greeted, his voice softer that she'd ever heard before.

She instantly noticed the different way that he said her name. She gave him an unsure look, "Oliver."

"You're looking lovely tonight," Oliver said, stalking towards his prey slowly and smoothly. He knew she would be uncomfortable with it, but he needed to make sure she played along.

"What?" she asked, her face looking even more confused. But she didn't move.

Oliver stopped when he was clearly invading her personal space. He could feel she was ready to bolt and so his hands came up and softly held onto her hips. "Don't," he whispered.

"Oliver, what are you doing?" she asked him, too shocked to actually move out of his grasp. This was not what she was expecting when Sara told her that Oliver wanted to meet her in the gardens. And if he didn't explain quickly she would pull away by force.

"Someone is watching," he whispered in her ear, his lips touching her earlobe, right were her industrial piercing lay. She felt a trail of goose bumps run down her neck and arms. "I need you to play along. Both our lives depend on it," Oliver whispered, as his hands came up to rest comfortably on the small of her back, thumbs moving in a small sensual caress that to others looked comforting, "Place your hands on my shoulders. It's ok, Felicity."

"Ok," she mumbled, her hands resting against his shoulders, curiosity gnawing at her to look around for the hiding observer. Oliver's hold prevented her from doing so.

Oliver glanced over to the dining room windows. He could see movement behind the parted closed curtains. Anya was watching.

Excellent.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" Oliver asked, slowly pulling away from her and taking her hand into his. He walked them over to the patio set where he'd placed a very expensive bottle of Domaine de la Romanee for them.

"Sure," Felicity answered. Oliver dropped her hand and poured them a glass each. She ran her hands over her skirt. This wasn't what she was expecting and she was admittedly nervous and a little freaked out.

"Cheers," he said as he handed her a glass. She politely smiled as they toasted and took a sip of the wine. It was delicious; something that she had never had before in her life. She wondered why she had taken this long to enjoy the pleasures that a nice glass of wine could bring.

Her nerves were already calming.

Oliver moved closer to her once more, one of his hands resting in the small of her back as they enjoyed their wine. She tried to keep her body from tensing as they finished the wine, mindful of watching eyes. He took their glasses and set them to the side before pulling her close and running his nose up the curve of her neck. To a passerby it looked like he was kissing up and down her neck.

"Tilt your head a little. Put your hands on my arms," Oliver murmured, centimeters from her skin.

Felicity followed his instructions hesitantly. She took a long breath in to try to calm down her erratic heart and dug her fingernails down into his arms, showing him that even though she could play along she was highly uncomfortable with this.

"We need to talk," Oliver whispered as he moved his face up to her ear before running his hands up and down her back in a soothing manner.

"Aren't we already?" she urged, hating the way that her cheeks seemed to flush. She wasn't that kind of girl, "Hopefully you can explain why groping suddenly became part of our deal, because newsflash, I never signed up for this."

"Upstairs. Somewhere no one can hear us," he said, moving to kiss the corner of her mouth, keeping the pretense of seduction, "Or see us."

"Ok," she whispered. She was confused at why he would even ask her to come outside if he wanted to speak in private.

"Let's go to my bedroom," he said, taking a step back, his fingers trailing down her back and over her hips before falling away.

He took her hand in his again, intertwining their fingers, as they entered the mansion without looking back. He led her through the main room, up the large marble stairs, up to the second floor and towards the west wing of the mansion. His bedroom was at the end of a long corridor, a few doors away from her own bedroom in the west wing. It was the master suite.

Oliver opened the door and let her walk inside his private sanctuary. He felt his mind want to pull back and not let her in but it was better to just rip it off like a band aid.

As Oliver walked around Felicity she took in his room. His bedroom was nothing like Felicity imagined it would be. The spacious master suite was richly decorated in pastel colors with dark wooden floors and a huge bay window next to a king size bed, which had a sitting area right next to it. A large fireplace rested in front of the bed and a painting of the sea was right above it. On each side of the bed, there were side tables, filled with small fragments of the real Oliver Queen – pictures of his family, a small antique toy locomotive, an old watch, an old teddy bear, a small music box and a children's book she kind of recognized. Next to the book sat a 9 mm pistol.

It suddenly hit her…this was his sanctuary.

Her eyes followed Oliver as he picked up the weapon and moved from one side of the room to the other. He was doing a sweep. Looking through the windows, checking his walk-in closet and bathroom. He did all of this with his gun firmly in his hand. Finding nothing he removed the anti-bugging device from his suit pants pockets – the same one she had seen him use in her bedroom a few days ago – and turned it on, placing it on the side table with his gun.

"It's safe in here. You can speak now. I'm sure you have a lot to say," Oliver said, standing far enough from her that she couldn't smack him or something. He had pulled something quite sudden outside and he wasn't sure how she'd react.

"What the hell was all of that, Oliver?" she asked crossly, "That wasn't part of our agreement."

"I needed to prove a point," Oliver said simply.

"What point? What could possible make you act that way? Are you insane?" Felicity questioned, clearly angry at his behavior and needing an explanation now, "The only reason why I didn't move and let you…do that is because someone was watching us?"

"I had to show that you and I were involved. Someone had to see it," Oliver said coldly, as he remembered Anya peeking behind the curtains. He was sure she was on the phone with Anatoly right now, doing exactly what Oliver wanted her to do. She was an important player in this game of his.

"What the hell are you talking about? Who was watching us?" Felicity questioned, clenching her hands as she remembered his lingering touches. This wasn't what she signed up for.

"An informer of my uncle's," Oliver said, as he moved over to sit in an armchair, lighting a cigarette.

Felicity gave him a pointed look before opening the window behind him. She sat in the armchair farthest from him, "And why would your uncle want to know that? I thought you were the head of the American branch."

"Because he is Anatoly Knyazev – The Pakhan – the leader of the entire Solntsevskaya Bratva," Oliver said before taking a drag on his cigarette, blowing it in the direction of the window, "And because he knows you're here."

"He knows I'm here?" she asked, not hiding the fear and desperation in her voice.

"Yes. His informant inside the mansion reports directly to him. One of them told him of your extended presence here. Which got him wondering why I would allow it. He doesn't like strangers around any Bratva business."

"Oliver! If he knows who I am…"

"He doesn't, at least, not the way you think he does," Oliver assured, trying to calm her down, " I had to come up with an excuse for your presence, something that was believable, something that wouldn't compromise your presence here and your safety. That's why I did 'that' in the gardens. So the informant could see and report back."

Felicity sat up straighter in her seat, dread filling her, "What did you say to him?"

"I want you to know that this was my last resort. That I didn't want it to reach this point, but there was no other choice. He wouldn't believe it any other way. And I needed the perfect excuse, the perfect decoy to throw him of the scent of what we're doing here."

Her eyes widened. With every word it sounded worse and worse, "Oliver, just say it!"

He extinguished his cigarette and pinned her down with his blue eyes, "Congratulations, Ms. Smoak. You just officially became my partner in every possible way. From now on, not only will you be Oliver Queen's girlfriend, you will also be the woman of a Bratva Captain, the one that belongs to The Crow."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: We hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter!**

**Things are about to get really interesting! **

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**PoisonAngelMuse and TheAlternativeSource**


	5. Heaven or Hell

**The Crow Chapter 5 – Heaven or Hell**

**Disclaimer: **We own nothing but our plot and our own characters. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to DC Comics and CW Television. All rights over this idea and its concepts belong to us. This work is intended for the private enjoyment of the reader and is not to be shared on any other sites (besides AO3 and FF) or events without our express permission.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hi everyone! We're really getting into it now! Things getting more complicated from here on out. Arrow is back and we hope to bring you some Olicity while our characters are going through hard times.**

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**Music – Heaven or Hell by Digital Daggers**

* * *

><p><em>I've got the same deep wounds as you,<br>My love can double as a weapon too  
>Say that you trust it and I'll set it free,<br>Turn it back on me,  
>Turn it back on me<em>

_We trade our secrets when it's safe,  
>Our ammunition when the fever breaks<br>Show me the side no one else sees,  
>Turn it back on me,<br>Turn it back on me  
>I am exposed, I am undone,<br>You tear the walls down one by one,_

_We tried to run, we tried to hide in fear of losing ourselves,  
>We tried to keep it all inside so we don't hurt someone else,<br>When all the demons come alive I'll still be under your spell,_

_This could be heaven or hell,  
>This could be heaven or hell<em>

_In you I found my only faith,  
>I lost my halo to your renegade,<br>This love could bring me to my knees,  
>Turn it back on me,<br>Turn it back on me  
>I am exposed, I am undone,<br>Come tear my walls down one by one,_

Felicity stood unmoving for a few seconds, silent, her hands falling down at her sides, her blue eyes moving as she tried to process what Oliver had just said.

'_Congratulations, Ms. Smoak. You just officially became my partner in every possible way. From now on, not only will you be Oliver Queen's girlfriend, you will also be the woman of a Bratva Captain, the one that belongs to The Crow_.' She felt anger well in her.

Oliver looked at her from his place at the armchair, eyeing Felicity expectantly, waiting for the explosion he was sure was to come. It took a little bit longer than he expected, but soon her eyes seemed to focus, going from shock, to anger to full blown hatred. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes hardened. Then it all went to hell.

"What the hell do you think you are doing? Who the fuck do you think you are? I don't belong to you! I don't belong to anyone, you narcissistic asshole," she shouted, her hands gesturing wildly.

"Felicity," he said in a controlled tone – trying to warn her off – after all the last thing he needed was her attitude right now. But it only served to fuel her fire.

"I know that you are used to owning everything and everyone, but I will never belong to you, you jackass," she shouted as she paced, her ponytail swinging about with her rushed movements.

"Keep your voice down," he hissed, getting up from his place and walking towards her.

"No!" she shot back, moving farther away from him. She needed to be away from him or she wouldn't be held responsible for her actions.

"You promised me you would follow my lead. That you would trust my judgment and do what I told you to do," Oliver said. He was already tired of having this conversation. But no matter how much he tried to keep the control of the situation, things just seemed to get even worse.

"You have no right over me, Oliver!" she snapped, her blue eyes burning with hatred.

"And I have no desire to; this is a matter of necessity. Not something for my enjoyment," Oliver said shortly.

"What makes you think I'm going to agree with this? This is ridiculous!" she demanded, crossing her arms against her chest and giving him a hard look.

"Because you have no other choice! If my uncle finds out about the truth of why you are here, he will kill us both. He has no desire to get into a predicament with The Triad, you know that! He will put a bullet in your head and hand your head on a silver platter to China White. And me, well, let's just say that he doesn't handle betrayal well," Oliver said in such a cold tone that Felicity gave pause.

Deep down Felicity knew he was right, deep down the rational part of her brain was shouting to accept this and move on. That there were other things much worse than having to pretend to be Oliver Queen's girlfriend. But she just couldn't do it. This was too much.

"Oliver! No one will believe it! We barely know each other!" she said in frustration.

"Which is why from this day forward we will work on this," Oliver pointed between them, "We will get to know each other enough to make people believe in us. It needs to look real! We need to make them believe in us, or we are as good as dead."

"But how?" she asked desperately. "I don't even like you! How am I supposed to pretend to be in love with you? I'm a terrible liar!" she rambled, sitting down on the edge of the bed and letting out a huff of air.

"Trust me, this won't be a walk in the park for me either. But it's better than the alternative," Oliver said, annoyed to have to convince Felicity. For a moment, he wondered if she was even worth the trouble. He came to stand in front of her, "Do you want to avenge your friend's death? Your family's death? Then this is what you need to do. Otherwise, you can pack your things and get the hell out of here, because I won't risk my life for someone that won't have the guts to go all the way."

"Are you threating me?" she asked, shocked at the lengths that he was willing to go for this.

His lips curled, "No. I am stating a fact. This is our only option. Take it or leave it."

"It's not like you're leaving me any choice on the matter," she said. It was clear in her tone how much she despised Oliver in that moment.

"I never intended to, Ms. Smoak. You came to me for help, not the other way around. Either you play by my rules, or our deal is off. Simple as that."

Felicity crossed her arms over her chest in a feeble attempt to protect herself, feeling the angry tears start to well up. She held them back. No matter how strong she tried to be, how much she fought to stay in control, she couldn't shield herself from all the things that Oliver wanted her to do. She hated being a prisoner. To have zero control over her own life. She hated being a pawn in his game and transforming into someone she was not. But what other choice did she have? Without Oliver's help, she wouldn't accomplish anything. Without his protection and resources she would be an easy target and she would never be able to avenge her family. And she couldn't do that, she couldn't fail them. She owned it to them.

"Ok," she muttered, her jaw clenched. She would do this. For Rori, for Chuck, for Cooper and for Sin.

"Ok?" Oliver asked her, arching one eyebrow, as he doubted her acceptance. Felicity was the most stubborn woman he had ever met. He knew she wouldn't make it easy for him.

"Ok, I will play the part," she repeated through clenched teeth.

"Don't need to sound so happy about it either," he said sarcastically as he let out a small relieved sigh. He was still annoyed at her but a hell of a lot more relieved that she said yes, "You know, a million other women would die to be in your place right now."

"Too bad for you that I'm not one of them, then."

"It sure as hell would make things a lot easier," Oliver muttered too low for Felicity to hear, "So, we will need to set some new ground rules."

"You bet your ass we will!" she said with a disbelieving look, "I agree to pretend. Nothing else."

His eyes narrowed, "I wouldn't dream of it. Every time I touch you it will all be for show, Ms. Smoak."

"Good. As long as we understand each other," she said with a nod, "What else?"

"Well, we will need a cover story. Not only that, but we will need to start constructing our relationship for the public eye in a way that won't raise any suspicions. After all, until a few days ago I was still one of the most desired bachelors of Starling City."

"Lucky me," she said, rolling her eyes.

Oliver decided to ignore her smart comments and continue with the ground rules, "Naturally we will have to start to attend events together. Both to Starling City society and as Bratva. People need to know that you exist. Otherwise, Anatoly will see that I fabricated a relationship, and then he will wonder exactly why I would lie to cover your presence here."

She wasn't sure what to say, "So, you want us to go out on dates?"

"Yes. Dates, galas, society functions and we also need to be seen at my club. I always attend Verdant at least once a week. A lot of my Bratva contacts also reach out to me there. It will be a nice place for us to start actually."

"But…that will put me in the spotlight, Oliver. People will get curious and will start asking a lot of questions, and I don't think it will be good for them and for me for Felicity Smoak being know everywhere," she tried to reason. This sounded like a disaster.

"Felicity, anyone that tries to find information about you will only know you are from Vegas and an MIT graduate. Nothing else. You have hidden your tracks really well. Never marking your work online or leaving a trace of yourself," he signaled at her body, "And now with your different appearance the chances of someone recognizing you are small."

"Clearly I didn't cover up my tracks well enough," she said, the sadness clear in her voice. The pain was still too raw. She would carry the guilt for the rest of her life.

"What happened to your friend's wasn't your fault. I wouldn't be working with you if it was," Oliver said shortly. Felicity almost felt like Oliver was trying to console her, "Anyway, we will start the plan tomorrow. You need to be seen around the house."

"Around the house? The entire house?" she asked. He was going to let her out of her room and around the house?

"Yes, but don't worry. Sara, Roy or Diggle will always be close by. We need to keep our cover. Anatoly's informant will be watching us even in here. But you will be safe," Oliver said with a hint of honesty as he sat next to her on the bed.

"That's not what I meant," she said, pushing the new glasses up her nose; a nervous habit she had developed since wearing them.

"What did you mean then?"

She turned to look at him. He was closer than she expected, "I will be free to go anywhere I want? Out of my bedroom?"

He nodded, "Yes, and by the way, this is not your bedroom anymore."

"What do you mean?" she asked him, alarmed.

"From now on you will be sleeping in my bedroom, with me."

"What? No!" she protested, leaning away from him.

"Felicity," Oliver groaned out as it if would stop the coming tantrum.

"No, Oliver! That's a line I won't cross," she said, poking his arm in anger.

Oliver snatched up her poking finger, "Felicity."

"No!" she shouted madly.

"Fe-li-ci-ty," he whispered in a way that made her freeze. He was leaning into her personal space, "Nothing will happen. I happen to like my women willing, which you are not. So I promise you I won't touch you. You have my word on that."

"And you just expect me to take your word for it?" she whispered in the same tone. She knew how dangerous The Crow was. He could do anything he wanted with her, and no one would lift a finger to stop it. She would be helpless.

"Call it a leap of faith," Oliver said as if it was no big deal, "Anatoly will know something is up if we don't sleep in the same room. He knows me. He knows I wouldn't let that happen. So as far as I can see, if you want to make this whole thing work, you will have to do as I say."

She looked away from his penetrating gaze. The anger had seeped away from her but that didn't mean she wasn't still frustrated and curious about it all, "But I thought that the west wing was off limits. Why do we have to do this if people are forbidden to come here?"

"Because I'm sure that Anya will find a way to sneak up here in the middle of the night. She will check your room and will try to keep close. While I'm sure there is no way for her to get inside my bedroom – she wouldn't dare – I can't say the same for you. If she catches you there she will know there is something wrong."

"Anya? She is one of your uncle's informants?"

"One of them, I'm sure. She's been in the brotherhood her entire life and she was picked by Anatoly himself to follow me from Russia and back to Starling City. She is his eyes and ears in this house. His most loyal servant." Oliver said as he shifted slightly, the words leaving a bad taste on his mouth.

"So we will have to keep pretending all the time?"

"No. When you're in this bedroom you are free to keep showing how much you despise me," Oliver said coldly with a wave of his hand. Both weren't looking forward to this change in their relationship, no matter how much of a ruse it was.

"I don't know if I can do this…it's a lot to take in," Felicity said, leaning forward and cradling her face in her hands, elbows on her knees, as she tried to take it all in.

Oliver watched her freak out. She was still hesitant but going to give in, "Think of it as a mask; a mask you have to hide under. Nothing more. Once we have dealt with The Triad you will be free and you can forget all of this happened and go back to living your own life."

"You say that like it's so simple," she grumbled into her hands. Anyone else would place a hand on her back, comfort her in this. But that person wasn't Oliver as far as she knew.

"It's simple, Felicity. Don't make things more complicated than they have to be," he said as he stood up, removing his jacket and throwing it over an armchair, "So, which side do you want?"

"What?" she asked as she watched him begin to unbutton his shirt. This was not how she expected her day to end.

"The bed? Left or right side?" he asked her as he removed his button up. He could see a protest coming from her lips, "You can either take the other side of my bed, or you can sleep on the couch, or even the floor. It's your choice. I don't really care. But you won't leave this bedroom, Felicity. That I promise you."

Felicity huffed as she slipped off her heels, "Fine, but what the hell am I supposed to wear to sleep?"

Oliver gave her a smug grin as he held up his shirt, "This looks like it fits."

* * *

><p>Felicity groaned awake, pulling the soft blanket closer to her chest as daylight filled the room. Usually the sun warming her skin chased away nightmares and made her feel well rested. This wasn't the case this morning. She cautiously opened her eyes, worried with what she might see, only to find the bedroom empty and the blinds draw up and curtains open, letting the sunlight come in through the large windows.<p>

Letting a tired sigh out, she pushed the blanket off of her and sat up, her feet touching the cold floor. Her hands instantly came up to her neck, groaning in pain. Nightmares combined with sleeping on Oliver's surprisingly uncomfortable couch left her aching. It had been her choice to sleep on the couch but she couldn't sleep next to Oliver could she? She'd even refused Oliver's shirt, sleeping in the same clothes from yesterday.

Oliver had been adamant about her sleeping in his bedroom, saying it was a vital part of the plan. The rational part of her knew he was right – that all he wanted was for them to keep up their cover. But that didn't mean she had to like it. She had thought when she refused the bed that he would offer to take the couch like a gentlemen but Oliver was a completely different kind of man. He just shrugged and handed her some blankets when she told him she wouldn't be sharing a bed with him.

She had a sleepless night on that damn couch, tense and wary, while Oliver slept soundly on his large king size bed, his soft snores letting her know how deep in sleep he really was. It annoyed her to no end how he could simply sleep on without a care in the world when there were so many dangers around them.

Felicity wasn't that surprised that she had woken up later than expected, Oliver long gone. Their new status was going to be a pain if waking up with an aching neck was any indication. But if there was one thing that Oliver was, it was bright, and he had survived in this violent world for the past twenty years – so if there was someone that knew how to survive this, it was he. She would simply have to learn how to trust him.

At least now she would finally be allowed to leave the west wing.

Looking down at her wrinkled skirt and blouse from the night before, she found the strength to get up from the small couch, and up to her feet. She tried to stretch her arms and neck, to find a form of release from the pain, but nothing seemed to work. She needed a hot shower. A relaxing and long, hot shower.

Grabbing her pair of heels and glasses from the floor she made her way out of the room. Her 'old' bedroom was only two doors down. When she entered the room and closed the door behind her she was relieved. Finally feeling a bit safer being somewhere more familiar. She could almost feel the weight of yesterday being lifted from her shoulders.

She took a quick shower, letting the warm water wash away the stress and aches of the evil couch from the night before and all the thoughts that threatened to consume her. When that was done she was surprised to see that Sara wasn't there or had laid out a dress for her. Sara was always there. She picked a dress that the women would most certainly approve of and paired it with some black flats, letting her naturally curly hair dry over one shoulder, before placing her glasses back in place.

All that was left to do now was turn that nob and find the courage to walk out of her personal prison. It was harder to do than expected.

'You can do this, Smoak. Don´t be a coward'

Throwing caution to the wind she opened the door in a quick move only to find Sara waiting for her on the other side.

"Sara, hi," Felicity said, not sure why she was surprised to see one of Oliver's most loyal men/woman waiting on the other side of her door. He said he wouldn't let her be watched by anyone else, after all, he didn't trust anyone else, "I expected to see you inside. I had to pick this all by myself."

"Ms. Smoak. I'm here to accompany you downstairs," Sara said shortly, all business like. She did however glance over Felicity's dress, approval in her eyes at the choice.

"Oh," Felicity said as uncertainty took over her. "That's good I guess…I would probably get lost in this place anyway," Felicity rambled, trying to lighten the mood, only to have Sara ignore her and slowly start walking down the hall.

"Aren't you coming, Ms. Smoak?" Sara called back as Felicity quickly followed her.

Felicity memorized each turn they took after the main hallway of the west wing until they reached an open area that lead to a massive intricate marble staircase. The main foyer was gorgeous, with double master doors, huge French windows and a high ceiling. In the middle of the foyer stood an elegant wood table with a large vase of roses. To top it off there was a ridiculously expensive looking crystal chandelier hanging right above it all. It looked like something from the classic movies that Mr. and Mrs. Watson loved so much.

It was the first time that Felicity had gotten to observe the beauty of the luxurious mansion. The times she'd been out of her room had been tense and rushed, darkness covering her as Sara rushed her along.

"Come on, you can enjoy the view later. Your breakfast is ready," Sara said as they walked down the stairs, bypassing a family room before entering an elegant looking kitchen. It had dark floors, white cabinets and huge white marble counters. It was a state of the art kitchen, something that Felicity had only seen in magazines. In the middle of it all stood a stocky older man around his fifties, who was cooking her breakfast.

"_Morning Nicholai,_" Sara said in Russian, as Felicity stood by her side. She hated not understanding what was being said.

"_Morning Sara_," Nicholai said, looking from the stove as he plated what seemed to be a plate of pancakes and bacon.

"_This looks good. None, for me_?" she teased him, eyeing the plate.

"_Captain was clear this was for his lady. She is too skinny_," Nicholai, said looking at Felicity. She gave him a polite and slightly awkward smile in return.

"_That's what happens when you don't eat_," Sara said before she turned to Felicity and began introductions, "Ms. Smoak, this is our chef Nicholai. Nicholai, this is the Captain's girlfriend, Felicity Smoak."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Nicholai," Felicity greeted as he nodded in acknowledgement.

Sara sat on a barstool and Felicity followed her example as the older man put a plate filled with food in front of her, along with a mug of steaming coffee.

"Enjoy, Ms. Smoak," Nicholai said, his Russian accent heavy.

"Oh, you do speak English," Felicity said happily, as Sara chuckle next to her, receiving her own plate and mug of coffee. She instantly dug into her food.

"Barely," he replied politely, before moving away and beginning to clean the kitchen.

Felicity wasn't sure what to say and at her discomfort Sara intervened.

"Nicholai isn't here to chat. He has a job, like all of us do," Sara supplied, eating a bacon strip, "Now eat your breakfast. I will be right back".

Felicity shut her mouth after that, watching Sara leave as she tried to eat her breakfast. She hadn't been eating a lot lately, not wanting to bother the woman by asking for more. In all honestly she hadn't been really in the eating mood lately with how complicated things were. Sipping her coffee she made her way through her breakfast. She was sure Sara noticed her skimping off food lately and she didn't want Nicholai's work to go to waste. Felicity was just about to ask Nicholai for some more coffee when she felt a chill run down her spine.

The hairs on the back of her neck rose as she tried to shake off the uncomfortable feeling. She couldn't. Feeling paranoid, she slowly turned and looked behind her shoulder only to find someone staring at her from down the hallway kitchen entrance. A woman with dark hair and ice blue eyes looked at her from head to toe as if she was analyzing her. Felicity couldn't stop the bad feeling that crept over her as the woman stared deep into her eyes before walked away, seemingly disinterested.

"Didn't your parents tell you it's impolite to stare?" a voice asked from the other side of the kitchen.

"Holy crap!" Felicity shouted as she jumped slightly on the stool, not expecting to find Roy at the other kitchen entrance. Nicholai had suddenly disappeared from the kitchen, leaving her with the Bratva version of an Abercrombie model, "You scared the hell out of me!"

"Maybe if you had been more aware of your surroundings you wouldn't be," he said in a reprimanding tone.

Felicity pushed her down cold plate away from her, "Fine, Yoda. Thank you for the insightful advice."

Roy ignored her comment, "Are you finished? The Captain wants to speak with you."

"Oliver? I thought he was at work," she said as she hopped off the stool and approached him. It was pretty late in the morning and she was pretty sure the Captain had a company to run.

Roy pushed the kitchen door open, "He likes to work out before he goes to Queen Consolidated. Come, I will take you to him."

Felicity followed him. She couldn't help asking, "I'm assuming he has a private gym too?"

She caught his snort as they turned down a side entrance, "Blondie, you have no idea."

* * *

><p>Roy took Felicity through the mansion. In every room and hall they passed she could see men that she was sure worked for Bratva standing watch. They weren't as openly curious as she was but she could see the question in their eyes at the sight of her. Roy took her down another set of stairs before finally arriving at a large gym, a sauna, and an indoor heated pool.<p>

She could hear the movement of the water before she could actually see him.

Oliver swan like he did everything else in his life: with strong, calculated and precise movements. For a few seconds she simply stared at him; the way that his body tore through that water as if it were parting for him, muscles working hard and pushing him across the pool. For the first time since arriving she acknowledged that he was a powerful and quite stunning man. A very dangerous combination.

Roy left her there, waiting for him to finish his laps and come up to her. He didn't. He just continued to do laps as if she wasn't there, passing by her with every lap. His stunning performance seemed to push to the background the longer he made her wait. When her patience was finally running thin, he seemed to come up to his senses. He swam to the side of the pool and with one single movement he pushed his body up and out of the water. It was like watching a movie in slow motion as she watched the water trail down his body; water clinging to his chest and legs. She watched as he stretched out his body for a second before picking up a towel and drying himself off. Felicity felt her mouth go dry.

It was hypnotizing.

She knew Oliver was a sight to behold, a very handsome man. It had just always gone down the drain as soon as he opened his mouth. And now he stood in front of her half naked and wet. And he hadn't opened his mouth yet. For the first time her eyes zeroed in on the signs of what made him The Crow. The night before she hadn't been able to see it all since he left his undershirt on. But now she could see it all; the tattoos and scars. Oliver's broad chest, lower abdomen, back and legs were a pattern of endless scars. Felicity recognized scars from bullet wounds, knifes, burns and some things she couldn't exactly identify. All told a story filled with pain and darkness.

The dark crow on his left pectoral, right where his heart beat, was like a warning sign for Felicity. The dark creature, the one that danced with death, was a reminder of who Oliver Queen actually was. A very dangerous and dark man. A man that had nothing else to lose and who was her partner. She would have to tread more lightly around him.

A throat cleared and Felicity was pulled out of her thoughts. Oliver was standing in front of her, enjoying the way that her cheeks flushed and how she bit her lip. He looked at her with the same curiosity that she had for him. When he caught her give his Bratva tattoo he closed off, face hardening and his whole posture changed. He didn't need her pity.

"You summoned me?" she asked, covering her embarrassment at being caught staring with indignation.

"Felicity. Let's not be difficult. The day has only started," he warned. They had a part to play after all.

"What can I do for you today, Oliver?" she asked again, holding her tongue. He was right. They didn't know who was listening.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked her, hanging the towel off his shoulders and holding the ends.

"You know the answer to that," she answered shortly, trying to mask her anger.

"True. If you weren't so stubborn you could have had a much more enjoyable night," he said calmly. To anyone listening the words would have meant more.

"Oliver, don't start. The days only started," she threw his words right back at him.

"Fine," he snapped, on the edge of giving up his calm. Felicity always pushed him to the edge, "That's not why I asked you to come here anyway. You're a big girl; you can make your own choices."

'Even if they're stupid ones' was implied.

"What did you want then?" she asked, trying to ignore the last part.

"I have another assignment for you," he said as he walked around her and towards a sitting area next to the pool. Felicity followed him. Oliver sat down without a care for his wet trunks.

"Which kind of assignment?" she asked, side eying him.

"You've done a good job with the mansions system. An excellent job. Right now its the safest system I've ever had. I want you to do the same thing for Queen Consolidated."

She sat up straight in her chair, "What?"

"Queen Consolidated has a very good security system, as well as a good inner system for all the trades and transactions that happen there. I paid well enough for it to be so. Yet, you were able to hack into my systems to find out all about me along with your hack into the mansion," Oliver said, his finger running over his lower lip as he stared at Felicity. She had forgotten about her time spent researching Oliver even before everything went down with The Triad, "I can't have that happening again. It's a risk I can't take."

"So you want to make your system at Queen Consolidated hacker proof? You have to know that not everyone is as good as I am? Not everyone would be able to get pass it's firewalls," she explained, not liking the turn this conversation was taking.

"Oh I'm well aware, Ms. Smoak. And if I have the best at my disposal, why shouldn't I take advantage of it?"

"I'm not at your disposal!" Felicity immediately said.

"Yes, you are. Plus we both know you're practically climbing the walls here like a caged animal. You'd enjoy sometime outside the mansion," Oliver said smugly as he saw Felicity weigh his words, "I need QC's system to be more than unreachable and unbreakable, Felicity. I need it to be perfect. To be more efficient. To be invisible. And the person that can give me that is you."

"Flattery isn't going to get you everywhere Oliver," she noted as she crossed her arms, "You're asking me to help you launder money. You want me to become a criminal."

"Oh sweetheart, don't kid yourself. Your hands are just as dirty as mine, even though you may think that all your noble acts are different from mine," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"I helped people," she hissed. That's why she had stuck with The Raiders for so long. They had been changing people's lives with the money they were taking from these people.

"So do I," Oliver countered, ignoring Felicity's dubious look, "Imagine what would happen if someone, if the wrong person, got inside QC's system. Imagine the kind of damage that it would do. Imagine what would happen."

"I don't know…you would spend the rest of your life in prison for instance?" she said with a small smirk that annoyed Oliver to no end.

"And over twenty thousand people would lose their jobs," he said, as she finally realized what he was trying to say, "In one month most of those people wouldn't be able to pay their mortgages, or save for their kids college funds, not to mention the pensions."

"What are you trying to say exactly, Oliver?" she asked him, glaring at him.

"I'm saying that Bratva and QC are connected and one needs the other. Imagine if for some reason my family business was destroyed somehow, the effects would be catastrophic. But if you help…things could be different. More secure," Oliver said, no longer trying to hide that he was trying to manipulate her. He knew her weakness for helping those in need. She wouldn't risk it.

"And who says I care about those people? They mean nothing to me," she said. Felicity wasn't sure if she was trying to convince him or herself.

"Oh, Ms. Smoak. You're right. You're a terrible liar."

"And you're despicable," she shot back as she slumped in her chair in defeat. Guess she was going to Queen Consolidated.

The corners of Oliver's lips ticked up, "And yet, I always get what I want."

* * *

><p>Felicity paid no mind to Oliver as they drove to QC. She could feel his stare on her but she didn't care. Her eyes were solely focused on the world outside her window. It felt like ages since she'd been outside. A part of her was excited to see the streets, the people, the cars. Another part of her was scared. These streets held people, cars, and cameras that could lead someone as capable as China White to her. She was nervous to be at QC.<p>

"Don't be nervous." & "I'm not." were the only words exchanged by Oliver and Felicity.

Twenty minutes later they were pulling up to QC's private parking and crossing the main lobby with Diggle. Oliver kept her by his side as he greeted people. Felicity was surprised by how gracious and different Oliver looked as he gave his employees polite smiles and on one memorable occasion, even asked a man how his daughter's recital was. Him, Oliver Queen was asking someone about a dance recital. Felicity was sure that her eyes were about to fall out of her head.

When they reached the elevators Diggle directed them to the private elevator that took them to the executive floor. He left them at the elevator when they reached their floor, saying he would be in Oliver's office. Before she knew it she was walking through opulent looking halls with Oliver and being stopped by a British man with an air of authority to him.

"Oliver my boy," the man greeted, pulling Oliver into a hug.

Oliver greeted the man with the same enthusiasm, face devoid of its usual coldness, "Walter, how are you?"

"I'm well. How are you?" Walter said.

Oliver smiled, honest to god smiled, at Walter, "I'm doing well."

Walters's eyes landed on Felicity, "And who's this?"

Oliver placed a gentle hand on Felicity's shoulder. Even the way he touched her was gentler here at QC, "This is Felicity Smoak."

"I remember that name from somewhere. Have we met before?" Walter asked as he held out a hand to Felicity.

Shaking his hand she nodded. She'd analyze Oliver's switch in behavior at another time, "A couple years ago I was offered a place her. MIT Class of '09."

Walter smiled, "Yes, that's where I know you from. You were at the top of our recruiting list that year. Shame that you turned us down."

Felicity's smile was tight. She had turned them down all those years ago. And now she couldn't help wondering if she would have ended up at the same place she was in now if she'd accepted his offer. She wondered if she'd have met Oliver or eventually found out about his activities and work for Bratva.

"So what did you end up choosing since you turned down our offer?" Walter asked.

"Oh I ended up doing independent work. A consultant of sorts," Felicity answered. That was the smallest and easiest description she could give for what she had been doing for the past couple of years.

Oliver gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and spoke in a voice that almost sounded proud, "That's what she's here for Walter. She's still the top of her class and is here to check out our systems and give them an overhaul."

"Well we're glad to have you here Ms. Smoak. It took a couple years but we still got you," Walter said, still smiling.

Felicity liked Walter and couldn't help but return his smile, "Thank you. I'm glad to be here." Her eyes flickered to Oliver's and she could tell that he caught on to the sincerity in her voice. She might be still mad at Oliver and the way that he was pulling her around but Walter was personable and kind. She felt welcome by him.

"I'm going to escort Ms. Smoak here to the executive floor mainframe," Oliver said, steering them around Walter, "After that I can head over to your office to talk about a couple things."

Walter tipped his head, "Of course. Nice to meet Ms. Smoak. Welcome to Queen Consolidated."

"Thank you," Felicity replied before being swept away by Oliver down a hall and away from Walter. This was now the second occasion where Oliver's behavior truly baffled her. There had been kindness and familiarity with Walter.

When they reached the end of the hall Oliver took out a keycard and opened the door.

She gave pause. For the last couple days she had been working mainly off her new computer and monitored 24/7. Always stuck in that little room. Now she was standing at the edge of a room full of monitors and towering mainframes that were the top of the line and worth hundreds of thousands.

"You're going to let me work on this?" Felicity asked in a daze. She hadn't even realized she'd entered the room, hand running over a monitor.

Oliver gave her a slightly amused look as he closed the door and approached her, "Yes."

"I'm a lucky girl then," Felicity blurted out as she sat in the main chair.

Oliver remained silent for a couple seconds before speaking, "You remember when we were walking through the lobby, the elevator, the hall here?"

"Of course. It just happened."

"Those are the people that work for QC. The legitimate and legal side of QC."

She caught on to his train of thought, "The people that don't know about QC's secondary flow of business."

"Exactly. Those are the people that are vulnerable. That will lose their jobs and their livelihoods if someone like you doesn't work here to make sure that they're safe."

Felicity reeled back a bit in her chair, "Now you're guilting me into working on this for you?"

Oliver tilted his head, appraising her, "No. I'm just showing you who you can protect by taking this on. The difference between you and someone I can hire is that you care. All those people I said hi too, asked about their day, or their families. You'll make sure they're safe."

Felicity noted the lightness of his voice at the end and she felt her growing anger dim down some. That wasn't the tone of someone who didn't care about his employees. It wasn't even the tone that he used with Walter earlier.

"And you care?" she cautiously asked.

He tapped his fingers across the top of one of his monitors, "If I didn't I wouldn't ask you to do this Felicity. Show me that you're someone I can trust. Take care of these people." He pulled away and walked backward, eyes still on her, "Diggle will be in to check on you."

And then he walked out.

Felicity huffed a breathe as the door locked behind him, "He always does that."

She moved back and forth in her chair a bit. Oliver was right. Felicity would make sure that they were safe no matter how much she despised the truth of what she was doing, what she had done and no matter how much Oliver pulling her into this bothered her. He was giving her an opportunity here at QC. A chance for her to show him that he could trust her to assure his money laundering wouldn't be discovered. She wouldn't let this chance go to waste.

She powered up the computer.

* * *

><p>Felicity spent about five hours at QC, looking over the QC security system and making sure that it was the top of the line. After she was done with it, it really was. A little before dinner Diggle brought her food and rushed her back to the mansion. Even thought Sara wasn't in her room earlier she wasn't surprised at the fact that Sara was in her room now. What she was surprised about was the fact that Sara was there to get her ready for her first public appearance with Oliver Queen.<p>

Sara hadn't given her time to protest as she shoved her into the shower and then into a chair to curl her hair. All she could do is grumble under her breath about how Oliver was taking over every aspect of Felicity's life as Sara worked. After that was done she shoved her 'gently' into the walk-in closet with a command to wait there for her.

Felicity pulled gently at a curl as Sara brought a box over from the bedroom. Placing it down on the dresser she pulled out a white dress. "Put this on."

Felicity fingered the cut out sides of the dress. She was supposed to wear this? "You picked this out?"

"Oliver did," Sara answered as she pressed her hands against the back wall of the walk-in closet. The walls parted, showing a floor to ceiling to mirror.

Felicity looked up in awe, "How long has that been there?"

"Always," said as she motioned for Felicity to get started, "Now let's finish. Robe."

"How do you know all about this?" Felicity asked, leaving her modesty behind as she took off her robe and traded it for the white dress. Sara wasn't going to leave.

"Know what?" Sara replied curtly.

"All of this about clothes, shoes, jewelry, hair. How do you know all about it?" Felicity clarified as she slipped on the dress.

Sara helped Felicity tug down the bottom of the dress, "Older sister. She loved to play dress up. I was her unfortunate doll."

"And now I'm your doll?"

"More or less."

Sara became quiet again. Felicity couldn't stand the silence and asked another question.

"What should I expect tonight?"

Sara met Felicity's eyes in the mirror, "At the club? Or with Oliver?"

Felicity hadn't expected that reply, "Both. I just…I know where I am. Maybe I didn't totally realize it in the beginning when I was walking around a storm drain or asking Oliver for help, but now...I know Sara. I'm in the lion's den. Or The Crows den or whatever it's called. Point is that I'm somewhere dangerous. So I'd to know what to expect to keep me safe. To keep Oliver safe. Even you."

Sara hummed, "And the control you were muttering about earlier? About him taking over aspects of your life."

"Still true," Felicity began, fiddling with her dress, "He's taken control of a lot of things. But…fuck, it was my decision to come here. I'm going to do what I promised and not back down because things are getting hard, no matter how much I protest."

That seemed to be the answer that Sara was looking for, "Good." She zipped up Felicity's dress and did up the clasp before beginning to rummage around for some shoes for her to wear, "Verdant is one of the most exclusive clubs in Starling City. As the owner Oliver is seen there often by his workers in QC and the ones in the know of him as Bratva Captain. This time it will all be different."

"How so?" Felicity asked as she slipped on the heels Sara handed her.

"This time you will be on his arm. Oliver never appears at Verdant with a woman accompanying him. You'd be the first. It'll make a statement to everyone watching."

"That I'm his?" said with a hint of sourness. She was starting to give in to the fact that this was happening but it didn't stop her from feeling a twinge of anger at being treated as a possession.

"Correct," Sara answered, noting the look on Felicity's face, "He's putting himself in great danger for you. Tonight you are expected to stay by his side. Act like you're having a good time. Shoulders back, head up. And smile."

Sara handed over the makeup that she would be wearing tonight. Felicity applied it slowly but surely as she listened.

"Now I'm not going to threaten you. Tell you that if you don't do a good job I'll hurt you. What I will tell you is that this night is important for all of us."

Felicity held still at Sara's words. This entire conversation was the most that Sara had spoken to her since she'd gotten here. A warning was the first thing that she expected Sara to give her. She was surprised that it was the last thing she gave her, "Ok."

Sara gave her a once over before nodding in approval, "Oliver will guide you. Tell you anything else you need to know."

Felicity took a step back and gave herself the same once over. Even she could admit that Sara had done a good job. In another life maybe she'd have dressed like this and thought she looked beautiful. Because that's what she looked like right now, beautiful. While looking snug at first, the dress fit her perfectly along with the shoes. Even her hair looked nice; curled around her face.

Felicity was pulled from her thoughts by Sara.

She was holding up a small velvet box. She opened it to reveal a set of earrings. Felicity gapped like a fish at them. They were art deco earrings that were covered in diamonds and emeralds. They were beautiful and without a doubt expensive as hell.

"What did Oliver do, rob a jewelry store?" she blurted out. Her brain to mouth filter continued not to work.

There was the smallest of smiles on Sara's face for a split second as if she were remembering something, "No. This is from the Queen vault. They belong to Moira."

Felicity recognized the name immediately. Moira was Oliver's mother.

"I can't wear these. I…"

Sara took out the earrings and gave her a pointed look, "You will. Oliver wouldn't have given them to you to wear if he wasn't sure."

Felicity swallowed her trepidation down and nodded, "Ok."

She put the earrings in as Sara turned away and began to walk out of the walk-in closet, "I have to get dressed now. I'll be back when it's time."

Felicity only hesitated for a second before she turned to the woman and said, "Sara?"

Sara stopped at the door, expectant eyes on her. Felicity could tell that the woman had retreated back into her shell.

"You really care about Oliver don't you?"

"I owe him my life Felicity," Sara answered honestly, "Now so do you."

* * *

><p>Verdant was pulsing with bright lights and a hypnotic fast beat. The dance floor was filled with grinding bodies while the sides were filled with laughing and drinking men and women. All were here for a good time and by the way people were pouring in it was going to be a good night. The club was famous for its insane parties and for its guest list, the rich and powerful frequenting the club. Those not on the guest list waited in line for hours, desperate for a taste of the most exclusive club of Starling City.<p>

As soon as they had pulled up to the club, the crowd went into a frenzy, obviously recognizing Oliver's car. Both sensing her nervousness or wanting to play the part, Oliver had taken Felicity by the hand and lead her through the heavy crowd and up towards the metal stairs that would lead to the VIP room on the mezzanine. Roy and Sara had followed them and now stood next to them, always on guard as they watched the endless bodies that moved with the heavy beat.

Felicity almost pulled Oliver back to her when he went to get her a drink. Everyone was staring at her. They were staring at her outside, downstairs and now in the VIP room. All curious to see whom the blonde woman on Oliver's arm was. She caught Sara's eye for a second and the woman tipped her chin up. Felicity remembered her words from earlier and tried to relax and look pleased as Oliver returned to her.

"Here," Oliver said, handing her a flute of pink liquid. He led her over to a white u-shaped couch and sat next to her, their shoulders and knees touching.

"What is it?" she asked, with an arched eyebrow.

"Bollinger," Oliver said with a smile, leaning close to whisper into her ear. The place was loud. Felicity stared at the flute in confusion, "It's a rose champagne. You'll enjoy it."

"Thanks," she said uncertainly, looking down at it. She wasn't much of a drinker and certainly not the champagne kind.

She felt Oliver's breath ghost over cheek and she tried not to shift in place. She hadn't been this close to a man in a while. Especially one such as Oliver.

"To partnership," Oliver said, raising his glass.

"To partnership," she said as she clinked her glass against his, taking a small sip of the pink drink. "This is nice," she said, tasting the sweet beverage.

"You looked like you needed it," Oliver said, before taking a large sip from his flute.

Felicity didn't know what to make of the man that was sitting next to her. She wasn't used to this version of Oliver. Sure she had seen the light and caring version Oliver had shown to his employees and Walter at QC. But this was different. He was caring towards her and looked like she was the only one in the room. She reminded herself that it was all part of an act, all part of the game. Another mask that she had to wear too.

Felicity tried to think of something to say and only came up with, "So, you come here often?"

Catching the 'bad pickup line' Oliver nodded, "Yes, Ms. Smoak. I always come here."

He moved his arm to rest across the back of the couch, his fingertips softly touching the skin of her naked shoulder, making her tense.

"Relax," Oliver whispered in her ear. To an outsider it almost looked like an intimate act.

"Sorry," Felicity muttered. Oliver was close. Like really close, "I'm not sure what to do when you touch me with people staring."

"As opposed to when I touch you and people aren't staring?" Oliver asked.

Her hand came out and smacked him lightly on the stomach before she could stop herself. He was grinning at her! Grinning! "I'm serious Oliver."

He grabbed her hand and gave it a small kiss, "Well, for starters you could at least pretend you are enjoying my company."

She felt her face flush. This was going a bit too fast and it was suffocating.

Noticing her discomfort, Oliver finished his drink and got up on his feet, moving to whisper something to Roy, who listened carefully.

Felicity took the time to take a deep breath to calm herself. She could do this. Sara had told her what to expect and she wasn't going to let them down. She was building trust with Oliver here. Showing him that she could do what was needed even if there were staring eyes. She needed to play the part of the good loving girlfriend.

With trembling legs, she got up and trailed her hand up Oliver's back. He looked at her in question and she tilted her head to the balcony before leaving him and leaning against the balcony railing. She watched the crowd that danced below. They were all lost in themselves and ignorant of the things happening around them. And for a second, Felicity almost wished she could be just another face in the crowd, another pulsing body, another lost figure in the sway of the music.

"Don't move," she heard Oliver whisper in her ear. She had kind of invited him to follow after her but he'd still surprised her. Also his body was way to close to hers.

"What?" she asked softly as he took a step closer, her back to his front.

"Push your body back against mine," he said, his hands coming around her and laying on hers, caging her in his arms.

"Ok," she whispered, leaning back a little and trying to move her body as little as possible.

"Now, tilt your head back," Oliver whispered into her ear. This time running his nose over the shell of her ear. She thanked whatever celestial being was up there that she was turned away. He wasn't able to see how her eyes closed for a second. It felt good.

When she rested her head back on his shoulder he said, "Good. It has to look natural."

"This is as natural as it gets," she muttered, trying to not enjoy his hard body pressing against hers. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. She shouldn't feel small sparks all over her skin as he gently swayed them. She closed her eyes.

"They're watching," Oliver whispered as one of his hands fell down to her stomach, wide hand pressing her back against him.

She swallowed and didn't dare open her eyes even though it was dark. Instead she placed her free hand against the one on her stomach. His hand needed to stay there, "How do you know?"

"Because they are always watching," he answered, breath ghosting over her skin, "And pointing."

Her eyes opened in curiosity and she looked out at the crowd, "Where?"

If it was possible he pressed in closer to her as he directed her, "There. The one in the pink top by the bar."

Her eyes flicked over to the bar and she couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her, "What is she wearing? Is that a scarf? Oh my god that's a scarf."

"Practically a handkerchief," Oliver commented with a huff that she could have sworn was laughter. Felicity turned to look at him in surprise. There faces were inches away.

"Did you just make a joke?" she asked.

Oliver gave a small shrug and pointed at something to the right, "Be grateful I didn't pick that dress."

Felicity looked over and caught sight of the red, white and blue monstrosity. She let out an unlady like laugh. "Pink hair dye in your shampoo Oliver. Pink. You wouldn't look that charming in pink," she warned lightly.

A strange and liberating feeling came over Oliver and he actually let out a laugh into her shoulder. At that moment he felt a bit less isolated with her there, her body pressed against his.

Felicity took the initiative and pointed at another dress, continuing their game of pointing out the ridiculously dressed people in the crowd. They continued like this for the next half hour or so. It was weird but somehow right, standing there with Oliver and laughing over something so simple.

It was when Felicity realized that her body had sunk back into Oliver's on its accord and his hand pressed against her stomach as she let out a loud laugh, that Felicity remembered where she was. She could tell that he felt her body stiffen as she turned to look into his blue eyes. They were light and not filled with the cold anger they usually held.

It felt like for a moment they had forgotten who they were. This was too much.

Turning her body slightly she spoke into his ear, "I think I'm going to get some air. Is…is that ok?"

He pulled back from her slowly, nodding as he came back to his senses; hand and body letting her go, "Yes. Take Sara with you."

She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile as she walked around him, "I'll be right back."

Oliver signaled for Sara to come over and she met Felicity half way, leading her down the mezzanine's steps. But it wasn't fast enough to escape that moment she had there with Oliver where everything melted away. Where she didn't feel guilt or anger. Where she actually laughed for the first time in weeks.

But what freaked her out the most is that she knew he felt it too.

* * *

><p>Oliver watched as the lights shined on Felicity's white dress, creating a kaleidoscope of colors on her. She walked through the middle of the crowd, her body pushing against the others as she tried to distance herself from him, Sara following her close. He understood the need for space, the need to breathe a light and get some fresh air. Ever since she came into his life, Oliver's life had filled with a different kind of tension, something uncontrollable.<p>

He knew he shouldn't be enjoying her company tonight as much as he was. He knew he shouldn't enjoy the way her hips looked in the short white dress, and he especially shouldn't enjoy the small shiver he saw running over her skin when he pressed his hand to her stomach. Yet, he took great pleasure to see her bodies' reaction to him. Maybe it was his male pride, or maybe it was a need to make sure that she felt something for him besides loathing. To make her tremble with something else. It was irrational and Oliver hated it.

He wasn't the kind of man that let his emotions lead him. No, he was rational, and in full control of his passions – something that he took great joy in. But he always followed his instincts, and those instincts were what kept him alive. But when it came to Felicity Smoak, she always got the best of him, always making him act in the most surprising ways. She knew how to push his buttons and Oliver hated that. He hated the lack of control. The explosive feelings that she could make him feel. Something that no one had ever been able to do before.

But…maybe his strong reactions had nothing to do with Felicity. Maybe they were just a response to the lack of release since Felicity's arrival. Between QC, Bratva and now Ms. Smoak, he had very little free time to engage in any extracurricular activity. It had been weeks since the last time he had been with Helena, and for a second Oliver contemplated calling her for a quick fuck. But as quick as the thought came to him it went away. Helena was as much trouble as she was gorgeous, and the last thing he needed was another complication in his life. She could ruin the delicate façade that he was trying so hard to build with Felicity. No, the risk was too high. One small step and it could all come crashing down on him…and her.

He would have to deal with his frustrations some other way.

Oliver wasn't sure what brought his attention to the commotion that lay below. Maybe it was the shift in the air or the change in the song. Either way his eyes were focused below to wear he could see Felicity. She was angry, snatching her arm away from a man that had touched her as she was returning to the VIP area. Oliver felt something well up inside of him as Sara came to stand in front of Felicity, warning the two men in front of them to back off. Before he could stop himself or think about what he was doing he was storming down to them, Roy close behind.

He pushed bodies away from him and opened a path to where Felicity and Sara were. The men were leering at Felicity as if she were up for grabbing. Once again, the irrational part of his brain won the fight.

One of the men reached out for Felicity as if Sara wasn't even standing there and Sara instantly was on him, pinning his arm behind his back and shoving him against a pillar. The man groaned out in pain and Oliver watched as Felicity's eyes turned fearful as the situation escalated.

Oliver watched in slow motion, as the other guy moved to touch Felicity's waist. She pushed his hands away from her small frame, but he insisted, using the distraction of Sara to try to push her body against his.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Oliver shouted, roughly shoving the dark haired man away from Felicity. The man crashed into a waiter holding a tray of drinks. Luckily only the drinks flew over the man, the waiter pulling back just in time.

"What the hell man?!" the dark haired man said as he came to his feet. He clearly had no clue who Oliver was.

"Touch her again, I dare you," Oliver seethed, his tone warning as he gently pulled Felicity closer to him and away from the strangers reach. His nostrils flared when her hands gripped his jacket. She was scared.

"She didn't have any company man. She was free game," the guy said with a slimy smile, "And if she's yours then maybe you should've kept an eye on her."

Before the guy could say anything else, Oliver's fist connected with the guy's jaw at an angle that sent him crashing across the floor and into a table. All watched as he didn't get up, didn't move.

"No one gets away with touching what is mine! Get this fucker out of my sight!" Oliver shouted, as Roy and two security guards took the man away. Sara followed them with the second man still in her hold.

Without a word Oliver steered Felicity back up to the VIP room. "Are you ok?" Oliver asked as he sat her down and handed her a glass. He was still seething and didn't know how to explain it, "Here, drink some water."

"I'm ok, Oliver," she said, taking the glass from his hands and finally looking into his eyes. The fear from earlier was creeping away and being replaced by her usual fiery tendencies. Good. "It's not the first time a guy hit on me in a club, you know. You can keep your cavemen tendencies to yourself."

"My cavemen tendencies?" he asked with an arched eyebrow as he sat down next to her. He knew what he was doing by challenging her and taking her mind off the brute downstairs.

"Yeah! You didn't need to punch that guy in the face! Sara had it under control."

"Clearly," Oliver said sarcastically as he picked up a shot of vodka and drank it. He could feel her eyes burning into the side of his face.

"Oliver, I have been taking care of myself since I was a little girl. Some drunk guy isn't going to change that," she snapped.

"It wasn't about that," Oliver said, refilling his shot glass with vodka. "This was about sending a message," he said before quickly taking the shot. Yes, he could do this. Spin his irrational need to go down there and get that man's hands off of her on the fact that they were putting on a show.

"What are you talking about?" she questioned in a mix of frustration and annoyance.

"You are here with me. People saw you with me. So I can't just as well let anyone try to touch you like that. They know this," Oliver whispered dangerously, "And by now, so should you."

"Know what?"

"That you are untouchable. Above all women in this place. Both as Oliver Queen's supposed girlfriend and as The Crow's partner. You are off limits, and now, everyone knows it."

"Oliver," she tried to argue, the fight going out of her. This is what they were planning to do all night and she agreed with him.

Oliver poured another shot before throwing an arm back Felicity, his fingers stroking over the hair at her nape, "I'm a very simple man, Felicity. My reputation precedes me. You are now part of this reputation. They won't cross me now when it comes to you. Understand?"

"Fine," Felicity sighed as she shook her head. She reached over and took the shot glass from Oliver and settled into his side, "Thank you for defending my 'womanly virtue' and letting everyone know I'm yours."

Oliver let out a small snort at her choice of words and tucked her close before turning his face into her warm neck, mask seemingly back on, "No one touches what's mine, Felicity. No one."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: We hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter!**

**We also know that things about to get real interesting in the show. Baked goods and wine for all! 3**

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**Love,**

**PoisonAngelMuse and TheAlternativeSource**


	6. Lost

**The Crow Chapter 6 – Lost**

**Disclaimer: **We own nothing but our plot and our own characters. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to DC Comics and CW Television. All rights over this idea and its concepts belong to us. This work is intended for the private enjoyment of the reader and is not to be shared on any other sites (besides AO3 and FF) or events without our express permission.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hi everyone! Thank you all for the amazing support. We love you guys so much!**

**We hope you will enjoy the crazy ride that it is to come! (This one's a long one!)**

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**Link for The Crow Soundtrack - /lyra-aureus/the-crow-official-soundtrack**

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**Music – Lost by Kris Allen**

* * *

><p><em>I want to thank you for all your help<em>_  
><em>_Cause you're on to me, you're on to me I know__  
><em>_You tell me all the bad things I didn't know about myself__  
><em>_Yes, you're on to me, you're on to me I know_

_Maybe I'm lost__  
><em>_Maybe I'm lost__  
><em>_Well maybe I'm lost__  
><em>_But at least I'm looking__  
><em>_But at least I'm looking_

_I wish a cat would get your tongue__  
><em>_Cause you're on to me, you're on to me I know__  
><em>_You got your hands in your pocket__  
><em>_And you pull out your wallet with your two cents for everyone__  
><em>_Guess you're on to me, yeah, you're on to me I know_

_Maybe I'm lost__  
><em>_Maybe I'm lost__  
><em>_Well maybe I'm lost__  
><em>_But at least I'm looking_

_Maybe I'm lost_

_Oh, maybe I'm lost__  
><em>_Maybe you're lost__  
><em>_Cause you're not looking__  
><em>_Well at least I'm looking_

* * *

><p>She peeked over at him. She had finally given in. And he was just lying there. Asleep as if nothing were going crazy in their world or that they weren't placed into an impossible situation where they were supposed to be in a serious relationship. Oh no Oliver Queen just slept on. Arm wrapped around the pillow barrier that she had erected between them, effectively destroying the wall as he 'snuggled' up.<p>

Letting out a sigh Felicity looked up at the ceiling. She was on her back, warm and comfortable for the first time in days. Not a sore muscle in her body.

Yesterday night she had finally given in. After 4 days of barely sleeping, her body aching from sleeping on that surprisingly uncomfortable couch, she had finally caved. She had picked up her pillow, ignored Oliver's curious and knowing gaze, and laid down on the empty side that Oliver always left for her. And God did she feel good. It's like the bed was made out of clouds that wrapped around her and pulled her into sleep almost instantly. No wonder Oliver would sleep like the dead when in this bed. It was fantastic.

Of course she wouldn't tell him any of this or tell him thank you for leaving her a side of the bed open.

They had been…weird for the last couple days. Ever since the club. After Oliver had gone caveman on her and admittedly saved her from a brute that was getting too handsy, they had spent about a half an hour at the club. Oliver had kept her close to his side, face tucked into her neck as she ran small circles over his thigh. Neither spoke of the easy moment they had earlier when they were observing people's devastating wardrobe choices or how he had protected her. They just sat there continuing their small game of people watching as if nothing happened.

When they returned 'home' they had parted ways to change before ending up in Oliver's room and clunking out as agreed. For the next 4 days neither spoke of what happened at the club. Hell they barely even talked! Oliver would be gone by the time she woke up, already at QC. And when she got to QC thanks to Diggle, she was quarantined away in the executive floor mainframe room, typing away. He still treated her fine but there was a new ease to it.

Being who she was she started doing something that would only lead her down a dangerous path with no possible way of turning back. She started watching him, observing him. Felicity noted some interesting habits almost instantly. She noted how before going to bed he did a cursory check of the room. With his pistol in hand he checked every nook and cranny of his room as if someone was waiting in hiding for him. She shuddered at the thought of what could have lead to such a daily habit. She also noted how he wouldn't look at her when he would take off his shirt and slip into his bed with only his pajama bottoms on, as if avoiding her searching eyes. She wanted to know how he got those scars but she held her tongue, knowing that he wouldn't want her pity or questions.

The most interesting of habits, well besides sleeping with a gun on the night stand right next to him, was that he had a book that he read through before bed. She'd only caught him doing it twice but she could tell that it was a well-worn copy of a book he kept in his side table. When he thought she wasn't looking he would pull it out and flip through the pages lazily with the most relaxed face Felicity had ever seen on him. He still looked a bit closed off and cold but…there was a gentleness to his face. He was remembering things and a part of her wanted to know why.

That was the most startling fact of all. She wanted to know why he had those scars? Why he peeked at that book with such reverence? Why he was so hard and cold with the world except for a few? And why there had been a break in his armor and hers the other night? Why he had laughed with her and why had she felt like something had eased a bit between them? She wanted to know why but again she held her tongue. She couldn't ask these things without opening an even bigger can of worms.

Today was the first time that she actually woke up before him.

Since he was always gone before she got up she didn't know what to do. Should she get up and start getting ready for the day, even though John always took her into work after a late lunch? Should she wake him up? Maybe he had actually slept in and she was waking up at her regular time?

"I can hear your thoughts all the way over here," a sleepy voice said.

She turned her head quickly. Oliver was awake, his face peeking over the pillow barrier.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked in a low voice.

The corner of his mouth lifted in a sleepy grin and Felicity couldn't help the way her eyes zeroed in on it. He looked transformed.

His eyes slipped close for a second as he yawned, "Long enough."

He rolled out of bed and padded over to the bathroom with his pajama bottoms low on his hips. Her eyes followed him. She wouldn't admit it under oath but…she was glad that she had woken up early. She pulled the comforter over her, without a doubt, flushed face and listened to him close the bathroom door behind him.

The door opened a couple minutes later and she heard him cross the room to his walk-in closet. Curling her fingers over the edge she pulled it down and peeked over at him. When she saw him shimmying out of his pajama bottoms she covered her face again.

"What are you doing?" she called out.

"Changing," Oliver answered, as if it was obvious. A drawer opened and closed.

She'd never really seen his morning routine. She paused before asking, "Going to work?"

"No, jog," he answered. His voice sounded closer than expected. She peeked out again to only come face to face with Oliver's smug face hovering over her. He knew she was hiding. He knew that she had seen, "What are you doing?"

She pulled her hands up and smoothed it over her torso, trying to exude confidence. "Nothing," she answered.

He gave a small hum, which somehow told her how much he believed her, before moving over to his nightstand. He was just pulling on an armband for his iPod when an idea just spilled out of her mouth.

"Want company?" Felicity almost took back the words at his surprised look, "You know so people, aka Anya, can see us together. Doing things. Plus I wouldn't mind getting a bit out of the house, which I assume you jog around. Get some fresh air."

He raised an eyebrow but didn't rebuff her idea, "The gardens. I run around the gardens."

"Oh. Well…do you think it's a good idea? Jog?" she asked, pulling herself to sit up in the bed.

Oliver placed the armband back on his nightstand with a nod. It was a way for both of them to talk a bit more and work on their 'relationship', "I'll wait for you downstairs. Do you remember how to get down to the rose bushes?"

Felicity nodded, excited at the prospect of seeing the roses again. Maybe her mind was working for her, not against her. Oliver returned her nod and then just left the room as she pulled herself out of her warm and soft cocoon.

Five minutes later she was walking up to Oliver dressed in a pink workout top and form fitting black capris. She kept silent as she watched him stretch. She hadn't noticed before but he was wearing black workout pants with a grey shirt. But they weren't just any black workout pants. They were those tight ones that frequent runners wore. She shifted uncomfortably when he began a set of lunges. The fabric…tightening across certain areas.

She felt her mouth go dry.

Sensing her presence Oliver gave her the barest of smiles. For a second Felicity thought that he was doing it because he was happy or maybe a morning person, until he opened his mouth.

"Smile while you walk towards me. Lots of windows behind you," he said, eyes flickering behind her.

Felicity tried giving the realest smile that she could manage, "Hi."

Oliver chuckled and began a stork stretch, "Good thing anyone watching will only see you from the side or behind. You look like you're in pain."

Following his example Felicity smiled a bit more widely, baring her teeth. The sleepy and easy Oliver was disappearing and presenting her with his usual brooding self who liked to keep her close and ruffle her feathers, "Better?"

"Loads," he replied simply, beginning a set of calf raises. He had been absent from her presence and fiery tendencies as of late as a means of controlling the emotions that had broken through at the club. But even now she pushed at him, "Start stretching. Wouldn't want you to get a cramp."

Felicity narrowed her eyes a bit before she began stretching, sure that there was an insult somewhere in there. When he deemed them warmed up enough he started a light jog, "Come on."

Neither said a word as they started a light pace, rounding the rose bushes and beginning on a path that seemed to wrap around the house and push off into the gardens. It was hard those first couple of minutes. They didn't know what to say to each other or if they should say something to each other to begin with while they ran. Besides that small bright moment in the club, they had never spent time around each other without snarking or throwing mildly murderous comments at each other. Could they have another moment like in the club?

When they reached the gardens their pace picked up a bit as they ran right next to each other. It was a beautiful place and she hoped that Oliver would let her return.

"Who did all this?" she asked as they passed by a set of oak trees with soft looking purple flowers all around them. The gardens were bigger than she expected.

Without looking at her he answered, "My mother."

Felicity's eyes widened on their own accord, "She did all this? It's beautiful."

He steered them around the garden for about a minute in silence. His mother had done a beautiful job. She had transformed this place into an area where he could go back and remember how it was before. A place that he had never taken anyone around before. He reeled himself in before saying, "It is."

Noticing his demeanor starting to close off again, Felicity asked, "Is this what you're supposed to wear when you're jogging?"

This time he did look at her, "What?"

Felicity pointed at herself. They were both starting to sweat, chests rising and falling steadily as they moved, "What I'm wearing. Is it what you usually wear to jog?"

Oliver gave her a once over glance; even glancing at her swinging ponytail. He nodded in approval, "Yes."

Her eyes trailed down his legs a little before coming up to latch onto his blue eyes, "Oh."

"Oh? What do you mean by oh?" Oliver asked as they passed by some tulips. They were really into the gardens now. "Fe-li-city?" he said in annoyance, "Oh?"

She wanted to push him over for the tone that he used with her but she'd just be destroying flowers. They deserved better, "Nothing. Was just wondering if it was standard protocol for the Bratva Captain to be wearing yoga pants."

A grunt of indignation was followed by a yelp of surprise. Felicity felt her feet come out from underneath her as she crashed to the ground right alongside Oliver. She scrambled to her hands and knees quickly; looking over to make sure that Oliver was ok when she froze. While she had landed on the dirt path…Oliver had landed in something else.

She watched as Oliver pushed himself up. He gasped as he wiped at his face with his fingers before using his shirt. When he finally sat up and looked at her his eyes were daring her to say anything, to laugh.

Felicity pressed her lips together, a laugh threatening to escape out of her. Oliver's glare seemed less effective as he sat there next to a patch of mud and water that he had unfortunately face planted into after she questioned his choice in sportswear.

She opened her mouth and Oliver pointed at her in warning. She took a small calming breath before bulldozing through, "Did you just trip into mud after I asked you about your yoga pants?"

Oliver sputtered, looking down at his pants, "They are not yoga pants!"

"I don't know. Could have fooled me," Felicity couldn't hold back the smile that spread across her face, "That's a good look on you."

Oliver said nothing as he scowled at her and stood up. There was mud all over his front. The material of his shirt now dark as it plastered itself against Oliver's skin, muscles now defined and obvious. The same thing could be said about his pants. Which happened to be level with her face.

Standing up quickly she was prepared for Oliver's scowling and mud-covered face staring her down into some sort of submission. What she didn't prepare for was something cold splattering across her face and glasses. Spitting out the little bit of mud that got into her mouth she removed her glasses slowly. Oliver was just standing there, looking at her like the cat that got the canary, "Looks good on you too."

The laugh Felicity had been holding in finally escaped her, making Oliver's shoulders slowly relax as the corners of his mouth tugged up into a smile. He wasn't exactly smiling but he wasn't scowling either.

She had a nice laugh. Soft and sweet.

He had a nice smile. Small but fitting.

Once more they both felt like they were separated from the situation that they had found themselves in, the dangerous lives they were living. And before they both could realize what they were doing or how the air had shifted around them Oliver scraped a handful of mud off his front and flicked it at her, splattering her shirt and neck with brown. Her mouth opened in shock as Oliver took a step around the mud/rain puddle, eyes still on her, intrigued at the turn of events instead of the anger and cold she had come to expect from him.

When he ran from her she gave chase not knowing that she wasn't the only one intrigued about how their relationship was shifting. In fact, from Diggle spot in the security room that held the grounds cameras, he was a little more concerned by the shift in his Captains behavior.

* * *

><p>The sounds of heavy breathing and the crashing of batons resonated off the walls of the mansions training roomgym. Oliver and John moved in perfect synchrony, years of experience making them used to this dance. Their arms rose and fell, batons clashing as they swiped at each other in a frantic rhythm.

"Focus, Oliver," Diggle said as he caught Oliver's arm with one of the batons.

"You just caught me by surprise, John," Oliver said, moving quickly to deflect Diggle's next strike.

"It wouldn't be the first time," John said, moving more aggressively as Oliver kept up with him, "You need to keep your head in the game."

Oliver moved quickly, hitting Diggle's back. The man flinched in pain and twisted away from another baton swinging arm.

"Who's distracted now?" Oliver asked smugly.

"You ever since that girl came to this house," Diggle shot back, moving to hit Oliver behind the knee, sending the Captain rolling down on the training mats.

"Fuck," Oliver hissed as he rolled up and got back on his feet.

"I'm serious, Oliver," Diggle said as he dropped his arms to his sides and picked up a towel near by. He dried off his face before looking up at Oliver's imposing stare.

"Diggle, she's here for a purpose. You know that," Oliver said freely, as he knew that no one was close, and that the room had an anti-bugging device.

"What purpose? To look good on your arm and warm your bed, while she takes you down the road to certain death?" Diggle said in annoyance. He had insisted for Oliver to let it go, that it was too dangerous to bring another person into their plan. But Oliver was stubborn, and wouldn't listen. His thirst for vengeance blinding him and now changing him.

"It's not like that. We're partners, nothing more," Oliver said, dropping his batons on a table and picking up a water bottle.

"Oliver, don't take me for a fool. I saw the way you were looking at her yesterday while on your run," John said, reminding Oliver of the teasing that had occurred during their 'mud' fight. John continued, "Cameras everywhere Oliver. Especially the grounds. I see the way you've been acting lately. The way both of you have been acting."

"It's not like that…I need her Diggle," Oliver insisted, annoyed to have to explain himself and his behavior. He wasn't a child; he knew what he was doing.

"You need her? Since when does The Crow need anyone?" Diggle asked dubiously, placing his hands on his hips and tilting his head.

Oliver gripped his bottle, the plastic crackling, "Since I spent the last twenty years failing in achieve the only thing I desire in my life."

"And you're so consumed by your vengeance that you can't even see how dangerous this game that you're playing actually is. You barely know that girl."

"I know her enough," Oliver hissed as he threw the bottle down and dried his face and chest off with a towel. He would not let anyone question what he was doing with Felicity. Not even Diggle.

"Oliver you're not seeing things clearly. You're letting that girl get too deep into this. I saw the way you smiled at her after your jog. It was small and you didn't even notice it probably. Hell I don't even know if she did, but I saw it. Small but there. You're letting her into a world that is too dark for her."

Oliver dropped the towel and stepped closer to Diggle. He had noticed the smile, "Felicity is a big girl John. She can make her own choices."

"Really?" Diggle said, crossing his arms against his chest as he looked straight at Oliver. Not backing down from his hard stare, "So let's assume that this plan of yours works out. Then what? Are you going to let her walk out of here and go back to her regular life? She knows too much already. You know this."

Oliver took a calming breath. He was getting angry. But this wasn't someone who worked for him as security or an associate. This was a friend. And a part of him understood, they hadn't talked about these things. In fact Oliver hadn't thought of the future; of when this was over. "She won't intervene in Bratva business. She won't have anything to do with any of this," Oliver insisted.

"And this is Oliver Queen or The Crow talking? Is your heart or your brain in control of this?"

"Diggle, don't be ridiculous. You're seeing problems where there are none," Oliver said in annoyance as he walked away, back to Diggle as he stepped up to the salmon ladder. Even though he heard John's approaching steps he grabbed the bar and began climbing the rungs.

"The problem is that you're getting too close to her. You're letting your personal feelings get involved in this. Your head's not in the game, Oliver," John said from below.

"There are reasons for the way I'm acting," Oliver explained with a grunt, as he climbed another rung of the ladder. Yes, this would explain it away to Diggle, "You know I'm not the kind of man that acts on raw emotion, the one that lets them guide him. It's all part of the plan. I know what I'm doing, John."

"So that's why you knocked a man down for trying to get handsy with her?" Diggle inquired, a touch of disbelief in his voice. Oliver ignored him, "You send a man to the hospital for touching a girl that means nothing to you? I don't think so."

"I had to send a clear message. No one will come after her now."

Diggle sighed before trying again, "Oliver, you need to think this through, man. This vengeance of yours is driving you mad. And you will end up making a mistake that will cost your life. And no matter how much I want to see them burn, I also don't want to have to bury your dead body along with hers."

Oliver dropped down from the ladder. He couldn't concentrate, "John, I have no other choice. I promised Felicity that I would keep her safe, and that is what I'm going to do. And this is the way. It's done."

Diggle looked away for a second, collecting himself. "If this is what you really want Oliver…then we will keep her safe. We will find a safe house for her. We can even work along with her on this ridiculous plan of yours. But you need to take a step back. Before things get even more complicated."

"I can't do that," Oliver said, running his hands over his face in frustration. He didn't want to think of her not being nearby where he could protect her.

"Why not? People will just assume it was just a random fling. They will soon forget all about her."

Oliver pulled his hands away from his face and growled out, "Because Anatoly expects me to bring her to Russia with me in two weeks."

"Damn it Oliver," John said in shock, mind running over scenarios of how this could go so wrong, "Now what? He will know you're lying the moment you step into that house."

"Don't you think I know that?! Why do you think I'm trying so hard to keep her by my side all the time? Why I'm trying to get along with her? Why she's trying?" Oliver said, throwing his hands in the air, "I have no other choice, John. Anatoly will know something is up if we mysteriously breakup before our trip."

"I guess you two need to pick up the pace then," Diggle said, shaking his head, "Get to know each other better."

"I know. I'm working on it," Oliver said, thinking about what he had planned for the next few days, "I need to keep our cover at all costs. If having to sleep in the same bedroom and having her pose as my girlfriend to the public is what we have to do then so be it. But I need to keep her alive."

"Oh, Oliver," Diggle said, a sadness filling his voice, "For such a smart man, sometimes you can be pretty stupid."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You're trying to convince yourself that all you need Felicity for is to be your tech girl. That she will find a way to get where we never could. That you will protect her because you need her alive and not because the lines you've built have already started to blur," John argued.

The unspoken words that he was starting to care were there between the lines but Oliver shook them off. Diggle was wrong, "John, we're just playing a part. I just need to fool Anatoly."

John walked over to the weapons cabinet to start their next round of training. He wasn't going to get anywhere with his Captain tonight, "Yes Oliver, you are. Except the only person you're fooling now is yourself."

* * *

><p>Felicity sat on her 'old bed', back against the headboard as her hands flew over her tablet. She was working on a code for the new mainframe she was developing for Queen Consolidated. She'd been allowed to stay home and work on this bit since it was a small patch that would be handed over to developers at QC that could implement it. She was just sliding down the bed, looking forward to finding a comfortable spot to work in, when someone knocked on her door.<p>

"Come in!" she yelled, putting the tablet on her lap as she sat up.

"Hi," Oliver said, opening the door and stepping through.

"Hi," she replied, a curious look in her eyes. She was starting to get used to Oliver entering like this but today was a bit different, "I thought you'd gone to work."

"I did, but I needed to show you something," Oliver said, stopping short of her bed.

"And it couldn't wait until tonight? I'm sure the world of mergers and acquisitions will miss QC's CEO in the middle of the day," she said with a hint of humor as a small smirk fashioned itself on Oliver's face.

"I happen to have a really well paid group of employees to take care of such things in my absence, Ms. Smoak," he said back in the same tone, shoving his hands deep inside his suit pants, "Besides, this is the perfect time for me to show you."

"If there's one thing you should know about me is that I hate mysteries," Felicity said as she got up and slipped on her shoes.

"I'm well aware," Oliver said as he handed Felicity her coat and purse that sat in her sitting area, "Shall we?"

She snatched up her still new tablet and phone and deposited them in her bag, "Yeah, ready."

When they reached the front door of the mansion a luxurious looking car was waiting for them. In true gentleman fashion Oliver opened her door before going around the car and getting into the drivers seat. She said nothing of it in case inquisitive ears were near by.

"No bodyguard?" she asked, wondering where John Diggle could be. He seemed to always be attached to Oliver's side.

Oliver turned on the car and pulled away from the mansion, "No. Today it's only you and me."

They drove out of the gated community and towards the center of Starling City known as the Glades. It took them half an hour to get there. As soon as Oliver parked his car off a back entrance of his club Verdant, Felicity couldn't hold it back anymore.

"What are we doing at your club?" she asked, confused and intrigued as she looked through the cars tinted windows.

"You'll see," he said stepping out of the vehicle. Felicity stepped out as well and waited for him to come around the car. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her forward, "Come, I need to show you something."

They made their way towards the club's back door where Oliver typed a security code into a number pad before the door opened. He did the same thing when they were inside, typing in a code to secure the building. Turning on the lights he walked forward, Felicity following him close behind.

They descended a long metal staircase and entered what could be best described as a large basement. It was dark, but evident enough from their footsteps echoing, that they were in a large room with a high ceiling. The smell of dank air showed that the place had been closed up for way too long. Oliver stepped away from her and pushed a button against a wall. When the room lit up, Felicity had been right. It was a large concrete basement below Verdant. In the center of the room endless large boxes were stacked up and waiting to be opened.

"Oliver? What's going on?" she asked, now even more confused than before. "Please, tell me this isn't some sort of sex dungeon where you bring unsuspecting girls to do kinky and probably filthy things to?" she rambled, looking around the cold and empty room.

"No, Felicity. This isn't my play room," he deadpanned. He caught her eye and knew that she caught the bit of humor. He held his hands out, "This is our new base of operations."

Felicity stepped up to the large boxes. There were no identifying markers on them, "What? Here?"

Oliver came to stand next to her, "This used to be a steel foundry of Queen Consolidated around the time my family was murdered. They closed it off after a few years. When I got back to Starling City I decided to turn it into a club so I would have a place to discuss certain matters that I didn't want to speak about at QC or at the mansion."

"So this is a facet for Bratva?"

"Not exactly. But it also works for that purpose. So no one will suspect a thing if you and I spend a large amount of time here. This is the perfect location. Safe and far away from prying eyes," Oliver explained.

"So you want us to have a super-secret lair below your club, so we can plot to ruin a powerful criminal organization that murdered both our families?"

They both took a moment to mull over the fact that Felicity had managed to simplify their motives and pasts into one sentence.

"Essentially," he answered as he took down a box and pulled out his keys.

"Great. When do we start?" she asked him, curiosity and confusion being pushed aside to be replaced with excitement.

"Around the time you get this all set up and running," Oliver said, opening one of the boxes to show Felicity her equipment. He watched her eyes light up at some of the familiar equipment, "It was delivered yesterday, every item on your list."

"Really? Wow that was fast," she said, voice full of awe as she looked over the processor in the box that Oliver had opened. It was like saying hello to an old friend.

"That tends to happen when it's a QC order, no matter how many shell companies I had to run it through," Oliver said smugly, closing up the box and looking at all the rest, "Do you think you can set all of these up by yourself?"

"Sure, I've been building these babies on my own since I was a kid," Felicity said proudly as she held out her hand for Oliver's keys. He handed them over and she opened one box after another, "It'll take a few days though. I need to set the mainframe, the data server, and not to mention increase security and the lock to this place."

"I'll send Sara and Roy to help you then," Oliver said, clearly pleased with her answer, "They should be upstairs already."

"Great," she said, fingers tracing over a new and custom monitor that he'd gotten her. He'd gotten her everything she'd asked for. "I never thought that I would be happy to spend endless hours locked in a dark and humid basement. I wonder what that says about me," she rambled as she pushed packing peanuts away and uncovered more technological treasure. Oliver wanted to laugh, but he held himself back. He just watched her.

"We can add more light in here, Felicity. The concrete walls and ceiling may make this place cold, but I assume that will be good for the computers," Oliver said as Felicity stopped to look at him. He thought he'd said something wrong but Felicity smiled and nodded in agreement, "The steel door on the alley side we entered, as well as the one inside Verdant, are electronically locked and I'm sure you can update and upgrade the security systems all on your own. Only 5 people will have access to all of this, so you will be safe in here."

"Good," she said, taking a deep breath and taking one long look around the foundry. She had a lot of work to do to finally get this going. She held out the keys she'd been using. He had done much more than she could/would ever have expected him to. And it just wasn't today, "Thank you, Oliver."

"Don't thank me yet. This is the real first step in a long ride to get those fuckers." Oliver said, as he looked at the boxes around them, "I'll let you start then. Let me know when the system is fully operational."

"Wait, you want me to start now?" she asked incredulously.

He walked backwards a couple steps and had the nerve to say, "No time like the present."

* * *

><p>She didn't even wait for Sara and Roy to come down and help her. As soon as Oliver was gone she walked around the foundry, looking for outlets and places where they could put more lights. After sketching it all out on her tablet she popped open the boxes and started pulling things out. When Sara and Roy finally came down the stairs, it was to find her with a huge grin on her face and surrounded by packing peanuts and equipment. Three bags of those little bastards being thrown away and folding the boxes up to be recycled and she was surrounded by piles of equipment.<p>

Sara and Roy were quiet but perfect assistants. Hell even Felicity didn't talk besides telling them where to move things because she was too in awe. Oliver had bought her ALL of the things on her list. He had gotten it all without question, some familiar equipment and some new. And even something small and special that she had added last minute.

When everything was in its supposed place she sent Sara and Roy around the foundry and the the office Oliver had upstairs, installing anti-bugging devices. Her stomach growled rather loudly when they returned and Roy went out to get pizza while Sara took the trash out to the dumpster. Since there wasn't much for Sara to do since everything was in its place and it was up to Felicity to connect it how she liked it, she'd sat down in a chair nearby (also on her list) and just…waited.

Felicity had ended up on her stomach across the foundry and under some equipment, her legs swinging back and forth as she sang, when Roy returned.

"Your love keeps lifting me higher and higher," Felicity sang under her breath as she connected another wire, "Your love keeps lifting me."

"Are you singing the song from Ghostbusters?" a voice asked.

She jumped a little at the voice. It was Roy. Pulling herself out from under the desk she looked up at him chewing on a slice of pizza. "Ghostbusters 2 to be exact," she said as she stood and dusted off her jeans, "When'd you get back?"

Ray hummed, face relaxed as he surveyed her, before answering, "About five minutes ago when you were singing Lollipop."

She shrugged, not embarrassed at all. This was the first time that she'd really talked to Roy, "Used to sing them when I was little. Usually when working on stuff."

Roy took another bite of his pizza and turned around. Felicity followed and saw a spread of pizza, plates, and drinks. Roy sat down next to where Sara was already eating and Felicity ended up sitting across from them with a slice of Hawaiian pizza.

Felicity could do calm and collected moments. She could even do tense and angry moments, most with Oliver nowadays. What she couldn't do was weird awkward moments. Because that's what it was between them all. Weird. Sara had been the one to watch her day in and day out while Roy she could count on one hand how many times she'd seen him.

"So…" Felicity began hesitantly, "Thank you for the help."

Sara nodded but said nothing. Roy's face was different, the corners of his mouth turning down and twisted, "Captain commanded it."

Felicity saw the hint of challenge in his words. How he wasn't there to help her out of his own choice. How he didn't want to. Placing her pizza back on the plate she pinned him with her eyes, "While there's nothing wrong with loyalty, why do you seem so sour about it now?"

It was like she dropped a bomb. Sara stopped messing around with her phone and Roy stopped eating. Felicity was just about to say something else when Roy spoke up.

"You don't know what you're talking about, blondie."

Felicity resisted the urge to touch her new hair, "Oh really. Enlighten me about Oliver Queen and his lost boys, or girls. Sorry Sara."

Sara shrugged.

"I do what my Captain's asks," Roy's jaw twitched. He wanted to say a lot more, "That's it."

"So if he asked you to jump off a bridge or take a bullet for him you would?"

Roy sighed in irritation, "I'm here because I'm told. Why the hell are you asking me this for? Testing my loyalty to Oliver?"

Felicity reeled back, "No. Just wondering why the hell you're here if you don't want to be. All I said was thank you and you decided to give a rude answer with a matching sour look."

"It wasn't…"

"Yes, it was."

"Roy stop," Sara cut in, "You baited her." She then pointed at Felicity, "You baited him too. No more."

Roy and Sara had a silent conversation before he deflated, grabbed his pizza and continued to eat, ignoring both of them. He was a bit defensive when it came to his Captain and his loyalties being questioned.

Feeling chastized Felicity swallowed her anger and spoke to Sara, seeing opportunity to ask something that had been bothering her, "I know you told me before that you owed your life to Oliver and that I needed to earn his trust because I owed him mine."

Sara grabbed a slice of pizza and raised an eyebrow, "Yes, I did."

"But…is that what he does? Surrounds himself like Peter Pan with lost people because he wants too? Because he chose you out of some kindness?" Felicity asked. She wanted to know how Oliver didn't trust his own brotherhood but trusted this small group of people. She also wanted to know if the way he was treating her was normal or different. He had been treating her with a kindness she had never experienced before, one full of rough edges but still there.

"Are you asking for us or about you?" Sara countered, catching her train of thought.

"Well…I guess for me. We're working close...to destroy the people that took our families from us," Felicity swallowed the feelings that rolled over her at the reminder, "I just want to know what it all means. I mean I…barged into his life."

"He chose you Felicity. And he doesn't chose lightly. It might not seem like he trusts you or that he even wants to be around you, but Oliver doesn't pick people and then just drop them," Roy answered for Sara, eyes once more trained on Felicity, "Even if they barge in after slipping through security."

Felicity shook her head. She was being misunderstood, "No, it's not that. I think he trusts me. Maybe doesn't totally enjoy my company but he trusts me and I trust him. I just didn't understand how after I just barged in like I did. He's…different. Good different."

"Oliver's a good man. Hard but good," Sara agreed, "And Roy's right. Oliver chose you. And if you feel like he trusts you and you trust him, then keep at that."

Felicity relaxed back at the words for a moment. The way that he treated her in the beginning in comparison to how he treated her now…it wasn't horrible. It was just...shifting and dare she say, even blurring into something else. And it was all because of the trust they had been gaining between them.

Roy and Sara were two prime examples of being chosen and trusted. Two people who were saved by Oliver and became two of the few who he trusted. She felt like an ass for calling them Oliver's 'lost boys & girls'.

Grabbing one of the sodas from the pile next to her she held it out to Roy. Sara watched them, waiting for another blowout, "I'm sorry for jumping down your throat. Truce?"

Roy pursed his lips for a second before taking the soda offered, "Truce."

Felicity grinned and offered Sara a soda as well. She took it gratefully before continuing to eat her food. This time the air wasn't so uncomfortably weird.

When they were done with the food Felicity helped them clean up before moving back to finish the work she'd been doing on her belly under some equipment. When her new phone rang she put it on speaker and continued working.

"Hello," Felicity answered.

Oliver's voice came through clear, "Hi, how's it going down there?"

"Pretty good. Sara and Roy helped me unpack and set everything up. Now I'm this close," she pinched her fingers in front of her even though Oliver couldn't see, "to getting the internet working down here."

"Good," Oliver replied, "I'm calling because in an hour John's going to swing by and pick you up before coming to get me."

"Oh," Felicity said, looking over at the phone, "Girlfriend duties?"

When he didn't say anything Felicity checked if the call had dropped. It didn't.

"Oliver?"

"I'm here," he answered, "Yes, girlfriend duties. Felicity would you like to go to dinner with me?"

She didn't comment on the way he worded the question. If this was supposed to be a farce full of trust then why did he have to ask like that?

"Sure. I mean I'd…love to."

"Good. See you in an hour?"

Felicity nodded before remembering that he couldn't see her, "Yes. See you in an hour."

They said their goodbyes before hanging up.

Felicity sat unmoving. Oliver Queen aka the Bratva Captain had asked her out on a date. If it was part of the farce they were trying to pull then why did she feel weird. Like that one time Jimmy Roberts from 8th grade asked her out to the fall dance. No…Felicity denied, trying to shake off the weird flutter in her stomach. They were partners who trusted each other and for all she knew there might have been someone near by when he asked her, making the way he worded it necessary.

He was just taking her to dinner. Nothing more.

* * *

><p>As promised John came and picked her up from Verdant and swung by QC to get Oliver. It was on their way back to the mansion that Oliver told her where they were going. He was taking her to one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. After a quick change into a red dress that Oliver without a doubt picked, they were in the car and on their way.<p>

John dropped them off at the front of the restaurant. Oliver promised that he would be nearby. As would Sarah and Roy. Apparently they were never too far from their Captain. They were seated almost immediately, the maître d' recognizing them. Oliver guided Felicity throughout the restaurant and towards their table. And when they reached it he pulled out her chair and surprised her with a kiss on the cheek. The maître d' smiled at the sweet gesture and Felicity tried not to blush. It was supposed to look natural.

When asked what they would like to drink the maître d' left it up to Oliver. She couldn't read and make anything of the menu as it was in Italian and Oliver was more used to places like this.

Now they sat across from each other, not knowing what to say as they waited for their wine. They did know one thing as they sat across from each other; they made quite a pair. Felicity had her hair loosely curled and was wearing a beautiful red dress that complemented her figure with silver heels. To complete the look Oliver had given her another pair of earrings. And she looked beautiful; breathtaking even. Oliver was wearing a suit that was a muted medium green. It lay across his wide shoulders and slim hips perfectly, just like all of his suits. And he looked handsome.

Oliver decided to break the silence first, "So how was your day? Get everything done that was needed?"

Felicity nodded, grateful for the beginning of conversation, "Well not everything. I still need a couple more days to connect everything. Probably need a couple more days at QC as well. And you? Anything happening in the exciting world of mergers and acquisitions and all of that stuff that you do."

A huff of laughter left him, "Is that what you think I do?"

Felicity winced, "Well isn't it?"

Oliver looked at her carefully. Like in the club…they were just talking. Talking as if this was normal and they were just partners discussing their day. He'd never done this before, "No. Well some part of it. Today I had a meeting with Walter. And...it was an acquisition."

Felicity grinned as she laughed lightly, "Told you."

Oliver didn't know what led him to do it, but he laid his hand on the table palm up. When she looked at him in question he nodded and she slipped her warm hand into his. He curled his fingers around her small hand.

When the maitre d' returned with their wine and he took their orders. Oliver ordered that as well.

"How about we play 20 questions?" Felicity asked. She felt like she was a teen on her first date asking such a thing but she…wanted to know him better; keep on going with the trust they had built.

"Ok," Oliver agreed easily as he ran his thumb over her fingers, "Who goes first?"

Felicity raised her hand. "I'll go first," she'd thought of some things in the car, "If you could have 20 pounds of anything, not money, what would you get?"

Oliver raised his eyebrows, eyes light and looking the complete opposite of the man she had come to know. Maybe this was the real him when you pulled back the layers, "Really? Out of everything you could ask me and you ask me that?"

She saw the teasing in his words and shrugged, taking a sip of wine as if telling him to go on and answer.

"Well," Oliver thought over the answer. There was no point lying or making something up, "Pudding. Chocolate pudding."

She bit her lip as she smiled and Oliver's eyes focused on her mouth.

"You?" he asked, watching as she released her lip and smoothed her tongue over it.

"Nope. Not that kind of 20 questions. New question each time. It's your turn," she answered.

"Ok, ok. Worst book to movie adaptation?" he asked, her face scrunching up in thought.

She was quiet for a breath before she blurted out, "The Hunger Games." His face became confused and Felicity said in surprise, "You don't know The Hunger Games? You know the movie. Young girl, long braid, likes to shoot at stuff with a bow and arrow while changing her world."

Oliver shook his head. He'd never really been in the loop when it came to new movies, "Never heard of it."

She gasped, "Really? Not even a commercial or billboard?"

"No. I mean shooting arrows does seem like a nice skill to have on the side, but I don't know how well they'd do in changing the world."

She waved his ignorance away, "We're watching that. Or reading it. Maybe you should read it. Ok, my turn."

"Wait you're not going to explain why you don't like it?"

"Nope. If you want a better answer ask a better question. Food you'd never give up?"

"Pizza," he answered quickly. He already had a question lined up for her, "If you had to change your first name what would your new name be?"

He was hitting pretty close to home with that one. For a split second after her friends had died and she was hiding in that room she had contemplated changing her name and just hiding. She was glad she didn't. "I don't know. Maybe something nice. I've always liked the name Rebecca."

"I think Felicity is nice," he answered honestly and Felicity turned her hand to lace her fingers with his in response. She didn't look up at him but he could see the corners of her mouth turn up at the unexpected compliment. He watched her avidly.

"My turn," Felicity said, "Once or twice I've seen you pull something out of your side drawer. It's something small that wouldn't matter to anyone else. But it matters to you. So my question is…favorite book?"

He swallowed thickly. She had noticed. Noticed his hesitance and the way that he held that book so gently when he'd pulled it out before bed, "The Little Prince."

She looked up at him, sensing his hesitation. It had taken a lot to tell her that; she could feel it. Even though it was against the rules of the game she repaid the favor, "The Hobbit. That's my favorite."

"I thought that was against the rules?" he teased casually.

She shrugged, a small smirk on her face, "Broke them."

Oliver felt something shift in him at her words. She didn't have to give him anything for revealing that small piece of herself but she'd given it freely, "Maybe we should start a book club."

Her smirk transformed into a smile, "Maybe we…"

The shattering of glass was the first sign that something was wrong, both of their heads turning to find the source. A scream tore through a person near the large window that ran across the front of the restaurant and Oliver let instinct take over as the large window blew open and glass rained over them. Tossing the table aside like it was nothing he tackled Felicity to the ground, covering her body with his. She flinched and pressed up to him in panicked shock as gunshots flew over them, hitting the unfortunate people that decided to run instead of laying low.

What felt like minutes were only seconds. The firing stopped and the sound of tires screeching away was almost drowned out by the commotion around them. People were groaning and crying out for others, trying to make sense of what the hell had happened.

His attention flew back to Felicity when she pushed at his shoulders almost desperately. When he pulled himself off of her she scrambled back and away from him. Her eyes were wide and terrified as if she didn't know where she was.

Oliver reached out to her and Felicity pulled back from him like she'd been burned, "No don't!"

Her breathing was coming fast and she was starting to panic, the calm from earlier completely gone. Holding his hands up he approached her slowly. Clearing some glass away he kneeled down next to her and checked her for injuries. She only had a couple cuts and nicks from the glass across her arms and chest. He felt relief wash over him for a moment until her eyes became distant, caught in a memory of the past as she tried to move away from him.

"No, no," she repeated as Oliver leaned closer. All she could see was Cooper in front of her, the slicing of the bullets as they tore through the door and into his body. She started breathing fast when she saw the red on her arms. She was back in that room, looking at Cooper as he died trying to get her to run.

Not knowing what to do Oliver brushed the hair out of her face and made sure that he was in her line of vision, "Hey, you're okay. Felicity listen to me. You're okay. I need you to breath."

Her eyes flickered to him and she tried to latch onto his voice, his face.

"Can you breathe for me?" he asked, panic welling in him that matched her own. Her face was slightly red and her eyes were welling with tears. Fuck.

She tried to take a steady breath in before speaking, her voice cracking, "They died. I was there again and…and they died. He died! I have his blood on me!"

Oliver knew immediately whom she was talking about. Putting both of his hands on the sides of her face he shushed her, "No Felicity. It's not his."

She closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face, "You promise?"

"I promise," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders and pulling her close. He tucked her under his chin, soothing her the best he could with the commotion of pained cries around them pulling at her to panic once more. This wasn't supposed to happen. He looked around at the destroyed room and the many bodies that littered it.

"Mr. Queen!" a voice shouted from the left. He turned to see it was Sara jogging up to them. She stopped right in front of him, eyes on Felicity's shaking form, "John and Roy went after them. It looked like one car."

"How many shooters?"

"One, Sara answered, crouching down and checking her for injuries as well, "Oliver, is she ok?"

"I don't know Sara," he admitted as he turned her to the side and slid an arm under her knees. He stood, holding her close to his chest so she wouldn't see the frantic commotion around them. She was already shaking bad enough, "Bring around the car. We've got to get her out of here."

* * *

><p>Oliver rushed towards the mansion, Felicity's shaking form pressed tight to his side even though she was buckled in. He'd gotten her away from the restaurant and the police that were without a doubt ready with a billion questions once they arrived.<p>

Oliver's priority now was to keep her safe.

Her pained whimpers as the bullets flew through the restaurant, the falling bodies, the blood on her arms and clothes…was too much for her. Oliver knew that she must still be riding the coat tales of any flashbacks she'd from the night her friends were murdered, which only made the situation worse. Not that seeing people being killed in front of you was something easy, but the way that she sat there, frozen and shaking, showed how broken inside she really was. Not to mention she hadn't let go of Oliver ever since.

They rushed through the streets of Starling City and towards the mansion, Sara now coming into view on her bike behind them. When they reached the mansion Oliver went to pull away and exit the car and Felicity's fingers held on tight to his jacket.

"Please, don't leave me," she said, her voice shaking. In the last half an hour her unexpectedly fun evening and beautiful dress had been covered with dust, debris and dried blood. The woman sitting next to him, shaking while tucked into Oliver's side was a far cry from what she looked like a few hours ago.

"I won't leave you, Felicity. I'm just going to come around to your side?" Oliver said softly. Her grip loosened on him, eyes still wide, as he quickly rushed to her side of the car. Opening the door he scooped her up, "Come on. Arms around my neck." Holding her close he carried her towards the mansion, Sara close behind.

They rushed up the stairs, into the west wing, and into the master bedroom, with Felicity silent in his arms. She'd gone quiet but he could feel the way she held herself, the way her arms locked around his neck.

"Sara, help her shower," Oliver said. Sara moved towards the bathroom to start the hot water.

Oliver tried to put her down on the bed but Felicity held tight onto him, fingers digging into his skin.

"Felicity, I need you to let go of me," he said evenly.

"No," she murmured against his ruined suit, "I'm…I'm good here."

"Felicity, you're in shock," Oliver said, running his hand down her back, "Come on. I need you to take a shower so we can see if you're hurt anywhere else, ok?"

"No, you're gonna go when I let go," she hissed, tears clouding her beautiful blue eyes when she pulled back to look at him. She'd never been a clingy person but she didn't want him to go right now. She was safe here.

"I won't leave you. I'll wait here as Sara helps you shower," Oliver said as Sara walked back to the room, the shower running and a robe in her hands. When Felicity didn't move he said, "Promise."

She gave a small nod then and Oliver leaned down. Felicity removed her arms from around his neck, standing on trembling legs. Oliver hesitantly handed her over to Sara, eyes warning to watch out for her. Sara understood.

"Come on, Felicity," Sara said softly as she put an arm against the scared woman, leading her towards the bathroom. Felicity looked back at Oliver for reassurance one last time before Sara closed the door behind them.

"Fuck," Oliver hissed, moving his hands against his hair in frustration. It'd been too close. They both could have fucking died tonight.

Oliver's phone started to ring and he picked it up quickly.

"Yes," he said shortly.

"I got one of them, Oliver," Diggle said on the other side of the line.

Anger swelled in him and he said in a clipped tone, "You know what to do, Diggle. I need answers, one way or the other."

"Consider it done," Diggle replied before ending the phone call.

Oliver sat down in one of the rooms' armchairs, his leg hopping up and down. This wasn't just a coincidence, something that happened by chance. Whoever did this was organized and knew that the Bratva Captain was there for a reason, even if it was just for dinner. When he found out who it'd been he would tear them apart. No one did this to him or what was important to him. And even though he didn't know what was going on with Felicity or how the lines were blurring, she was his partner. He'd told her he'd protect her and then this had happened.

Ten minutes later Sara walked out of the bathroom, her stance hard and her eyes filled with worry. Worry was the last thing he'd expected from the woman who implied she had better things to do than watch Felicity.

"How is she?"

"Physically she's ok. Just some cuts and bruises."

"I called Dimitri in the car. He should be here any minute," Oliver said. Dimitri was Bratva's most trusted doctor.

"She's pretty shaken up," Sara said, looking over at the bathroom door. "Oliver, do you think…" Sara started to say but Oliver cut her off.

"Diggle's taking care of it. We'll know soon if they were after her," Oliver explained quickly. His mind had already gone over the different reasons and explanations for what had happened at the restaurant. Now it was just a waiting game until Diggle got him answers.

A sharp knock on the door ended their conversation and Oliver walked towards it. Dimitri Balachov was waiting on the other side.

"_Doc,_" Oliver greeted in Russian.

"_Captain. Where's the patient?_" Dimitri asked, as he stepped inside.

"_I'll get her,"_ Sara said shortly. She knocked on the bathroom door and Felicity opened it. Even though she still looked shaken up there was something endearing about the way that the robe swallowed her up, her fingers curled over the edge of the too long sleeves, and her pajamas sticking out the bottom.

The doctor approached them as Sara helped Felicity lay down on the bed. Her eyes looked around and caught on Oliver's as the doctor sat next to her.

"I'll wait here," he reassured her, eyes only on her.

She still looked shaken up but she was holding strong, "Good_._"

* * *

><p>It could have only been a few minutes but it felt like hours as Oliver waited. He wasn't known as a patient man. After a couple minutes he'd opened a window on the farthest side of the sitting area, a cigarette resting in between his fingers on the windowsill. He knew she hated the smell but he needed something to calm him down. Diggle hadn't called yet.<p>

A throat cleared behind him. He turned and Dimitri stood there; his medical case in hand and a calm look in his eyes. Oliver took that as a good sign.

"_How is she?_" Oliver demanded, putting down the cigarette. He needed to be sure she was ok. The image of her face at the restaurant kept playing in his mind over and over.

"_She is physically fine. The bruises will fade in a week, the same with the small glass cuts. From what you told me, she had a panic attack at the restaurant, a real bad one. She was still shaking and had difficulty breathing so I gave her something to sleep. She will be out until tomorrow,_" Dimitri said.

"_Thank you,_" Oliver said, the relief clear on his face. The older man gave him an understanding smile.

"_She is a strong woman, Captain. She will be ok,_" Dimitri reassured, "_If you think she needs anything just give me a call._"

"_Thank you Dimitri," _Oliver said again as Sara came over from the bed,_ "Sara will accompany you back to your car_."

"_Captain,_" Dimitri inclined his head before Sara led him out.

When the door shut behind them, Oliver slowly walked over to the bed. Felicity lay there asleep. While he was smoking Sara must have gotten her old radio since it was sitting on the nightstand, a soft 60's song playing. She was curled up on her side with a pillow tucked under her chin. His pillow.

He stood there, silently watching as her chest moved up and down; proof that she was alive and ok. The panic attack that she had earlier had ripped down some of the walls that she had built around herself since arriving at the mansion. He wouldn't be surprised if she had nightmares tonight.

The sight of her there, peacefully sleeping while wearing her Matryoshka nesting dolls pajama bottoms and a tank top, made him feel things he couldn't exactly explain or pinpoint. Yes he felt somewhat overprotective of her – the look in her eyes as the bullets flew and hit flesh – was the same look he remembered seeing in his mother's eyes before she died. But there was something else here, something more. Something he couldn't understand as he covered her body with his.

Felicity was a good person, untainted by the violent life that he knew so well even though her family had been taken away from her by it. Tonight was proof that this violent life would break her if she stood too close to it. Oliver knew that Diggle was right; bringing her close to him was a mistake. She would just end up getting hurt. And Oliver had too much blood on his hands already. He wouldn't have hers too.

Feeling the familiar sense of self-loathing and hatred, Oliver gave her one last look before walking out of the bedroom and closing the door behind him. Sara was already walking back towards the bedroom; Felicity's guard until he returned.

He reached his office in no time, leaving the lights off, enjoying the darkness of the room. The only light was coming from a small lamp next to his favorite armchair. When he sat down a sharp jab of pain went down his arm. He pulled off his jacket and ruined shirt to see that his arm had been grazed by a bullet. He'd barely felt the pain of it before. He would take care of it later.

Oliver poured himself a shot of scotch and drank it in one gulp.

"_Captain?_" a voice called from behind the closed door. It was Diggle.

"Come in John," Oliver said, moving to grab another crystal glass to pour a shot for Diggle. "So?" Oliver asked the man when he entered and sat across from him. He handed him the glass, "How'd it go?"

"He sang like a canary," Diggle answered, sipping his scotch. The dark look on his face showed how far he went to get information. Diggle hated to have to do this; knowing how it tore away small fragments of your soul until there was nothing left. But for Oliver, Diggle would do it. He was loyal like that.

"What did he say?" Oliver asked, as the creeping darkness started to crawl back in.

"The Triad was targeting a Judge. His name was Stephen McMillian. He refused to get on the payroll and play by their rules. Tonight was his wedding anniversary. He and his wife were the targets," Diggle said, pouring another shot for him and Oliver.

"They decided to kill everyone inside of that restaurant to get two targets? That seems extreme. Even for The Triad," Oliver said coldly as he looked down at the amber liquid inside the crystal glass.

"Apparently China White is trying to send a message," Diggle explained. "You and Felicity were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Oliver scoffed, "Do you really believe that John?"

"I know what the man that I killed today did. And that's all he knew. If there were second intentions laid out by China White we'll never know."

"It was too close. Too much of a coincidence. They can't do this again," Oliver muttered darkly, mind stuck on a very familiar memory. Bullets flying as he sat helpless; watching as the people he loved died around him.

"Oliver," Diggle whispered, watching as his Captain got lost in his own darkness. Oliver had never gotten over the murder of his family. And in a dark corner of his mind, Oliver was still that little boy, scared and helpless, that saw everyone he loved dying in front of him. It was the reason why he found it so hard to trust, was always on guard, and why he denied that there was anything more than partnership brewing between him and Felicity.

"They need to pay for it. They think they're untouchable, above every law, above our code," Oliver murmured, slamming his glass down on the table next to the bottle of scotch. "They need to pay. And I will make them pay."

"Oliver! You're already on dangerous ground by bringing 'her' into this. You need to be careful with what you say," Diggle said, looking around the room, always suspicious. "You're not thinking straight, you're letting your hate speak for you. And that's the kind of thing that will end up getting you killed."

"I have been rational for the past twenty years, John. I can't hold it back anymore."

"You need to keep your cool, man. Or you'll pay the price for being impulsive. You know that."

Before Oliver could even reply, he heard the familiar muffed ringtone coming from his desk. He sighed, "Fuck." He was in no condition to speak with 'that' man.

"You know who that is. Calm yourself down and then pick up," Diggle advised before walking out of the office, closing the door behind him.

Oliver strode over to the desk with a clenched jaw. He hastily opened the drawer and picked the phone up. He let it ring one more time before he answered.

"_Hello, uncle,_" Oliver said coldly. There was no point in hiding the way he felt. Anatoly wasn't stupid.

"_Ollie, my boy. How are you? I heard what happened tonight_," Anatoly said on the other side. The fake tone of worry in his voice made Oliver want to break something.

"_Then you can imagine how I feel_," Oliver fumed.

"_I know exactly how you feel. I know how overprotective you can be. And also how impulsive,_" Anatoly said, a hint of warning in his tone.

"_Uncle, I was shot today and almost killed. What was mine was almost killed. Yet, here I am, calmly speaking with you. I think we can say I'm controlling my urges quite well,_" Oliver growled out, trying to keep his cool.

"_And I appreciate it, Ollie. You know how delicate the balance between the families is. The last thing we need is a blood bath on Starling City streets, don't you agree?_"

"_I wasn´t the one that attempted to murder their leader, Uncle_."

"_Ollie, that was all a misunderstanding_," Anatoly said, brushed it off like it was no big deal.

"_A misunderstanding, Uncle? They almost killed Felicity and I!_" Oliver shouted, losing his cool. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

The line was silent for a moment. No one spoke to Anatoly like that. "_You keep your tone down, boy_," he scolded, angrily, "_I know exactly what happened, China White briefed me not long ago, explaining the situation. Her as well as the Triad have no desire to get into a war with the Bratva_."

"_I'm sure she would say that_," Oliver said with disgust. The treacherous snake had made sure that she called Anatoly and spoke to him instead of calling the Captain.

"_She apologizes for putting you and your companion at risk. She wasn´t aware of your presence there until it was too late. Her man doing the shooting didn't know who you were. Or so she says. She can't find him," _Anatoly said, voice losing its anger and turning to bemusement at his young nephew, _"It was an unfortunate coincidence._"

"_Uncle, don't you think that it's too convenient? Out of all the restaurants in Starling City?_"

"_Ollie, you've got to let this hatred go. Some things need to stay in the past. Your hatred in their past involvement in the murder of your parents and sister are clouding your judgment. You know the brotherhood always comes first. Let it go,_" Anatoly commanded.

"_And you will just let that slide again? They will think they can do whatever they want and get away with it? If it was anyone else…_"

"_I would do the same thing if that meant keeping the peace between the families_," Anatoly ground out as he hit something, probably his desk. Oliver shut up, "_I know the woman you have been involved with was there, and that your rationality has disappeared for the moment because of the threat to her and your want to keep her safe. But I won't let you ruin twenty years of peace because you're hot headed._"

"_I…I apologize, sir. I was out of line_," Oliver said through clenched teeth. This was ridiculous.

"_I know this is hard for you, Oliver. But you are a Bratva Captain above all things, don´t forget that._"

"_I won't_."

"_Good. I'm glad we cleared everything up. I will expect you and your companion in two weeks, Ollie_," Anatoly said happily as if this conversation never happened, as if Oliver's life hadn't been threatened.

"_We will be there. Goodbye Uncle,_" Oliver muttered in agreement as he ended the call. He slammed the phone back into its drawer before locking it. Leaning forward he pressed his hands on the desk, bowing his head. He growled angrily, sweeping everything off his desk and sending it crashing to the floor.

His uncle was a fool. China White didn't do anything 'by accident'. It wasn't just a mere coincidence. She knew he was there. Maybe even wanted to rattle him a little and then just play it off as a mere coincidence. But it hadn't worked like she'd planned. He wasn't rattled.

He was enraged.

He would show China White and The Triad what it meant to be rattled…to be afraid. He would show them that their days were ending, that they were numbered. And the woman in the other room, the one they had hurt and scared tonight, would help him achieve it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Woo! Another chapter done! Honestly this might be the longest chapter we've done so far! Hopefully it'll help with tonight's feelz in the new episode. It's going to get harsh ladies and gents.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed it! You have been the most amazing readers and we love this fandom! 333**

**Love,**

**PoisonAngelMuse and TheAlternativeSource**


	7. Raining

**The Crow Chapter 7 – Raining**

**Disclaimer:** We own nothing but our plot and our own characters. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to DC Comics and CW Television. All rights over this idea and its concepts belong to us. This work is intended for the private enjoyment of the reader and is not to be shared on any other sites (besides AO3 and FF) or events without our express permission.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hi everyone! Thank you all for the amazing support. We love you guys so much!**

**This will be a bit shorter than the long chapter last week. RL was a real bitch this week and we worked really hard to get this out on time.**

**Again, we also wanted to ask if one of our amazing readers, for instance, would like to help us with a video. We have the amazing manips by the lovely Waschal, but we wanted to know if anyone would like to help us making videos for our work? It can be for 'Demons', 'Broken Arrows' or 'The Crow'! It would be a dream come true to see our work like that.**

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**Link for The Crow Soundtrack - /lyra-aureus/the-crow-official-soundtrack**

**Enjoy!**

**Music – Raining by Of Verona**

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><p><em>Don't want to be here<br>Don't want to be here right now  
>Don't want you to see me crying<em>

_Don't want to feel this  
>Don't want to feel this right now<br>Feel like I could give up trying_

_Then it falls on down  
>Anchors to my bones<br>Pins me to the ground  
>I feel like dying<em>

_Nothing left to lose  
>Nowhere else to move<br>Then it breaks on through  
>It's almost shining<em>

_When it's raining on me  
>(It all becomes clear)<br>Raining on me  
>(No one said life was fair)<br>On me  
>(So I'll take it as it comes)<br>On Me  
>(Cause the rain leads to the sun)<em>

_I have to face it  
>I'll need to face this right now<br>Because I can't change what's coming_

_Tried to escape it  
>I can't escape this right now<br>I think I'm tired of running_

* * *

><p>There was glass all around her. Blood on her arms. A couple stinging cuts. And all around her there was screaming. The restaurant had been attacked.<p>

Her eyes looked around frantically. Where was Oliver? He was just there. He had throw the table to the side and pulled her body to the ground. Making it so she wasn't one of the unfortunate people around her. She wasn't one of the ones bleeding. Dying.

But where was Oliver? He wasn't her and she was alone.

Twisting her body to the side she pulled her aching body from the ground. Glass crunched behind her. Thinking it was Oliver, she turned around quickly, relief flowing through her. It disappeared almost instantly.

It wasn't Oliver. It was China White.

She reeled back to escape but China White's hand shot out and wrapped itself around Felicity's hair, pulling her neck back roughly.

"Well look what I found, a little blonde prize," China said with a smarmy grin, "Guess it's my lucky day. Got rid of your friends, Oliver, and now you."

Felicity's breathing because weighted down by the fear that she felt. This woman took her family away. Made her run and hide. Made her ask the most unlikely person for help. And now she had attacked this restaurant just to get to Felicity. To get to Oliver.

Felicity's hands gripped the one holding her close, digging her nails into the skin, and trying to break away, "Where is he? What you do to him?"

China White cocked her head as if Felicity was the most fascinated and stupid creature she had seen. Felicity's insides tightened in fear when the woman let her go and pushed her away.

The white haired woman's hands went behind her and pulled out a gun from the small of her back, "The same thing I'm going to do to you."

And then she shot her.

* * *

><p>Felicity's eyes flew open, her body jolting forward. There was something pressed across her chest. She began to panic, fingers trying to tear off the object. Her fingers gripped onto something strong with what felt like hair on it.<p>

Her hair was pushed to the side and a voice cut through her panic.

"Breathe."

Felicity continued to struggle, "No, no, no."

She knew that voice. Her breaths were coming in short and quick gasps, giving her a headache. Her body leaned back into something warm and she turned her head. It was Oliver.

His eyes were confused with a hint of panic that probably matched her own. Her eyes focused on his lips, tracing each movement to ground her.

"I need you to breathe with me. It's ok."

"No it's not ok. I saw her. She was there."

"No one's here Felicity. I promise," Oliver said as he loosened his grip and turned her to face him, "Who did you see?"

Felicity looked down for a second but Oliver followed, ducking down to look her in the eyes.

"Felicity? Who did you see?"

"China White," Felicity admitted, "I saw her…and I couldn't find you. And she said…she said she'd do the same thing she did to you to me. And then she shot me." Felicity pressed her hand to her stomach and Oliver snatched it up.

"Hey. No, no. I'm here. China White never came. It's just you and me," he assured, "Just breathe and lay down, ok?"

Felicity took a deep breath, wincing at the pain in her chest. She was okay. She was in the dark with Oliver and she was okay. Oliver let go of her hand and helped her lay down on her side before laying down himself.

Felicity curled up around the pillow, peering at Oliver. She didn't know what to say to him. Sure she'd had nightmares before, but nothing like this. Nothing where he could blatantly witness her mind betraying her while she was sleeping, showing her all the things that she feared.

She felt suddenly felt ashamed at waking him up, "Thank you. I'm sorry I woke you up but thank you."

Oliver's lips pursed for a second and he said nothing. There was no need to say thank you. He did it and he didn't know why. He just couldn't stand her and pain. I don't want her thrash and woke him up she had been in pain. Holding his forehead he said, "It's no problem. Just keep on breathing."

She followed his instructions, taking one steadying breath after another. She still felt like her heart could explode out of her chest any moment but she wasn't alone now. Oliver was with her and he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

He turned his body towards here, "Better?"

"Yes, I feel better," Felicity said, feeling her chest finally loosen. Now more calm she asked, "Oliver what happened in the restaurant? I had a panic attack tonight?"

Oliver pulled the comforter up to her shoulder, "Don't worry about that. We'll talk about it tomorrow. Go back to sleep."

She curled her fingers into the blanket, "But..."

"No. We'll talk about it tomorrow," Oliver settled on back.

Felicity nodded and completely relaxed into her pillow. Neither of them talked about how small the distance was between them. Neither wanting to be far from the other.

* * *

><p>She woke up to the shuffling of clothes being put on. When she opened her eyes and looked over, Oliver wasn't in the bed anymore. Instead he was in the walk-in closet already dressed. And it wasn't his running clothes.<p>

In a groggy voice she said, "Hey."

He looked over quickly, hiding the fact that she had startled him. He'd been trying to leave the room before she'd woken up. He failed. And Felicity knew it by the pinched look on her face.

"No jog today?" she asked, hands tracing the comforter.

Oliver turned away from her, shaking his head. He couldn't look at her for the moment without remembering her panicked face from last night; at the restaurant and in their bed. It made him think of moments when he would wake up from dreams. Every time, alone and scared. Except for last night he was there for her and it made him think of things he'd rather forget.

He backtracked his thoughts and caught onto the word 'their' and he clenched his hands. "No I have to get into work early."

Felicity sat up in the bed still watching him with curious and guarded eyes, "We're not going to talk about yesterday?"

"Later. When I get back from work we can talk," he was trying to get out of the room as fast as possible. He needed to clear his mind. Some good time away from Felicity would help at this moment.

Grabbing a briefcase sitting right outside the walk-in closet he made his way to the bedroom door, "Sara and Roy will be up in a bit to take you to Verdant. I'll see you later."

She raised her hand to say bye but he was already gone.

They didn't end up talking about it later.

* * *

><p>A small smile grazed Oliver's lips as he read the new numbers of the Bratva's latest transactions. Despite his rushed morning and tactics to get away from Felicity and his own thoughts yesterday, he was happy with her work. The improvement in their money laundering was outstanding, much higher than he actually thought was possible. The new programs that Felicity had developed for Queen Consolidated was able to shell out many Bratva accounts, and turn them into regular QC business ones, without raising any suspicions or flags. It was perfect.<p>

"You seem pleased," Diggle said, watching as Oliver stacked his reports and began shredding them.

"You could say that. Things are really improving," Oliver said, as he watched the last shred of paper turn into small fragments that would later be burnt. "You sound surprised," Oliver said with a raised eyebrow. Diggle still didn't hide how cautious and displeased he was with their situation.

"I never said she wasn't good at her job, I said we shouldn't bring her into our business. There's a difference," Diggle said, still unsure about Felicity's place in their group. John Diggle wasn't the kind of man that trusted easily, and he considered the few friends he had as his own family. So he wasn't ready to risk everything because Oliver was infatuated by the girl. He would trust her when she proved herself. And it would take much more than some improvements in their business transactions for that to happen.

"Maybe you should actually try to get to know her then. I'm loath to admit it, but she's not so bad when you get to know her. Lippy as hell, but she knows what she's doing," Oliver said, trying to sound disinterested, but John knew Oliver as well as he knew himself. He heard the light uptick at the end when he called her lippy. The Crow was full of shit.

"Maybe," Diggle said as a soft knock on the door interrupted them.

"Come in," Oliver called out, sitting down behind his desk and trying to look busy.

The door opened. It was his executive assistant Nina, "Mr. Queen, excuse me sir. There is a Detective Quentin Lance here to see you. He doesn't have an appointment. Should I ask him to schedule one?"

"No, Nina. Please, ask him to come in," Oliver said, as Nina hurried towards where Quentin Lance waited.

"Lance?" Diggle whispered, as he and Oliver exchanged worried glances. They both knew what this was about.

"Let's see what the good Detective wants this time," Oliver said, getting up from his chair and buttoning up his dark grey suit jacket. It wasn't his first rodeo with Detective Lance. Over the years that had crossed paths many times and Oliver was sure today wouldn't be the last.

Quentin Lance was one of the finest members of Starling City's Police Department. The man had dedicated his life to serve and protect the citizens of the city, and in a way, Oliver admired him. He was Sara's father and had suspicions about Oliver's business practices that set Oliver on edge. Lance would have become an issue years ago if it wasn't for his love for his daughter and the fact that Oliver had helped her. But Oliver had a feeling he was pushing it and Quentin's patience would run thin one day.

Detective Lance walked inside the office, his face hard and his steps steady.

"Detective Lance. Good afternoon," Oliver said, moving to shake Quentin's hand.

Lance took his hand firmly, "Mr. Queen."

"What can I help you with, Detective?" Oliver said, offering the chair in front of his desk before he took a seat behind the desk. Diggle stood next to the door – playing the part of his personal bodyguard while still keeping an eye and ear on the situation.

"I wanted to talk to you about your statement concerning the shooting at the restaurant," Lance said, his face impassive as he pulled out a recorder from inside his suit jacket. He placed it gently on the table.

"I already gave my statement yesterday, Detective. One of your men came to collect it at the mansion," Oliver explained calmly. He did not want to talk about what happened yesterday with Lance. Felicity face came to mind and he clenched his hands on the edge of the desk.

"I'm well aware of that, Mr. Queen. Yet, I need to fill in some gaps. I hope you don't mind," Lance said with a small smirk, as he knew that Oliver couldn't avoid him without raising any suspicions.

"Not at all," Oliver said with a small charming smile, his mask firmly in place, "Even though I included everything I know in my statement. I don't know how I can be any more useful."

"Well, just humor me then," Lance said as he pressed record and pulled out a small notebook, "Two night ago, a few gang members of the Chinese criminal family, also known as The Triad, attacked and shot through the glass windows of the Italian Restaurant Nono's, in an attempt of murder Judge Stephen McMillian and his wife Elizabeth McMillian, killing eight people in the process. Is that correct?"

"I believe yes, even though I'm not exactly sure about the details," Oliver said shortly, lacing his fingers together and letting them rest over the top of his desk.

"And you were there having dinner with your girlfriend – Felicity Smoak?" Lance asked, looking at his notebook for a second.

"That's correct." Oliver said, holding back the need to clench his teeth – the vision of Felicity shaken and terrified came to him again. It was still too raw.

"Yet, she didn't give a statement," Lance said, looking up from the notebook and back to Oliver, "Why is that?"

"My girlfriend has been terrified ever since the shooting. She needed to be medicated after it. She hasn't left our bedroom," Oliver lied smoothly. Yes she was scared, but she'd spent her day yesterday and probably today at Verdant, "I'd rather she didn't have to relive those terrible memories ever again. Besides, she panicked when the shooting started and she didn't see anything."

"But you did?" Lance asked as he took a note down.

"I saw enough," Oliver said, his tone clipped and defensive, "When the first shot hit, my survival instincts kicked in I suppose. I pushed Felicity down and used the table to shield us. A few seconds later I heard the gunfire stop and heard the sounds of tires as the shooters escaped. When I finally looked up I saw people lying there, blood and debris all over the place. I gathered my panicking girlfriend and got out of there as soon as possible. She didn't need to see that and I wasn't sure if they were targeting me and would come back to finish the job."

"Interesting," Lance whispered to himself, as he took some more notes. " But what about the body?" Lance enquired, his face serious, looking straight into Oliver's blue eyes.

"What body?" Oliver asked, not following Lance's train of thought.

"The body the SCPD found in the Dawson River this morning," Lance answered in such a serious and taciturn way that Oliver's mask almost slipped. Almost.

"I have no idea what 'that' body has to do with the shooting," Oliver said, trying to look as confused as possible. He knew what body Lance was talking about. Diggle knew too.

"We found the dead and tortured body of one of the members of the Triad that participated in the attack on the restaurant. His fingertips a shell casing we recovered from Judge McMillian's chest."

"I see," Oliver said with a hum, "Yet, I have no idea what it has to do with me."

"I just find it curious is all. After all, a man that tried to kill you and your girlfriend appears dead the next 48 hours. It makes me wonder if you had anything to do with it," Lance said, finally laying out what he was really there to ask.

"Am I being formally charged with something?" Oliver asked, voice warning. Best defense was a good offense after all, "Should I call my lawyer Detective?"

"No, of course not," Lance said, closing his notebook and turning off the recorder. He gave Oliver a polite and fake smile. Oliver felt a little bit insulted that he wasn't even trying to hide his discontent for Oliver, "After all, why would one of the richest men in the country want to kill a low life gang member?"

"Precisely," Oliver replied, trying to hold back his temper. Lance had never done this and Oliver was about to explode.

"I mean why would the Queen Consolidated CEO want anything to do with the Triad," Detective Lance said, his voice laced with sarcasm, as they both knew that Oliver had all the reasons in the world to hate the Triad. Even though Lance couldn't prove a thing.

"Nothing," Oliver said with a clenched jaw.

Lance stood, "Mr. Queen, I know you do a lot of good for this city. I know a lot of things changed when you came back to town. And I know that life is not black and white, that there are endless shades of grey between then."

"Is there a point in any of this Detective?" Oliver questioned, not hiding his annoyance anymore.

"Off the record, we both know what happened to that man. And even though I don't agree with your methods, we hit the jackpot having his prints on that bullet. It solidified our case. I now have the proof to bring China White and The Triad in for the murder of 8 people."

"Good for you, Detective," Oliver said his tone cold as his eyes turning darker by the second.

"You know how grateful I am for what you did for my daughter. If not for you, she would be dead. I am eternally indebted to you," Quentin said, straightening his jacket, "But I won't allow a blood bath to start on Starling City streets, Mr. Queen. Keep that in mind."

Oliver's eyes followed Lance's every moment. He said nothing.

Lance gave him a nod, "I'll show myself out."

* * *

><p>Oliver and Diggle rushed towards Verdant as soon as Captain Lance left Queen Consolidated. They didn't take their usual route, alert of the possibility of someone following them. It wasn't usual behavior for the CEO to go his club in the middle of the day.<p>

They always knew that Lance was well aware of Oliver's connection with the Bratva. After all, he was a very smart man, and had put together all the details pertaining to the increase in Starling City's Bratva business after Oliver's return. Yet, they seemed to have an understanding – as long as Bratva didn't touch innocent civilians or the SCPD police force, he would stay out of their way. However, his threat in Oliver's office was clear. If Oliver didn't get a hold of things, he would come after him. And the last thing he wanted was to have Sara's father's blood on his hands.

That's why they were heading to Verdant. They needed to get a handle on this and talk somewhere safe.

Felicity and Sara had spent the last few days putting the final touches on the foundry. The dark basement was now brighter, the smell of mold long gone, with a security and surveillance system to match. The large room now had a corner that held the database and mainframes that they needed, as well as an area with computers and screens, large desks, and a large touch activated interactive screen. Across from the computers there was a section that Sara and Roy had set up with weapons of all sorts and a small training area to work out in while Felicity worked.

When they reached Verdant they made their way inside. All eyes turned to them when they clambered down the metal staircase. Both men looked tense. That set everyone on alert.

"Fuck Diggle, you should have warned me," Oliver fumed as he removed his tie and jacket, hating the constrictive nature at the moment. He threw the jacket on a dark couch that rested against the back of the staircase.

"If you knew, your reaction wouldn't be convincing." Diggle explained, crossing his arms against his chest.

"I'd rather be prepared. Why didn't you destroy all the evidence as usual?" Oliver fumed. "This can't be traced back to us, Diggle. He wasn't bluffing."

"It won't be traced. I knew that this was a chance too good to pass up. Isn't that what you wanted? To find a way to bring the, down without being traced back to you? The body being connected to the shooting and the Triad is the perfect way to start it. Now let the SCPD do their job." Diggle said as Oliver growled out a heated 'fuck', on the edge of losing it. Oliver trusted him and he understood his reasoning. But shit like this couldn't happen again.

"You have to tell me these things, John. As much as the Triad is personal for you, it's personal to me. I can't have shit like this happen again," Oliver said, pinning Diggle down with his eyes, "I need you with me on this."

Diggle sighed and placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder in apology. They were in this together, no matter how much he wanted Oliver's reaction to be real, "I am with you on this."

"Hey, what's going on?" Sara asked, watching the tense exchange between Oliver and Diggle, with Felicity and Roy standing by.

"Your father paid us a visit today, Sara," Oliver said, pacing from one side to the other, feeling like a caged animal. He had lost control of the situation today, no matter how much he looked like he was in control. He'd been surprised. The Crow was never surprised. It couldn't happen again.

"What? Why?" Sara asked in a mix of shock and confusion.

"He found a body today. From the man I captured after the shooting," Diggle explained calmly.

"What?" both Roy and Sara said, shocked. They all knew the rule about never leaving evidence behind. Never leaving a trail that could lead them back to the brotherhood. It was one of their most absolute laws.

"And you wanted him to find it?" Felicity asked, stepping away from her desk. Oliver's eyes flickered over her form for the first time all day. She looked a bit tired, "Why?"

"He was an known member of The Triad. I knew his prints would be in the system and I was sure there was a chance that he might have loaded some of those guns. It was a shot in the dark. But I couldn't miss the opportunity," Diggle explained. The incredulous looks that all of them gave him was further proof he should have spoken up.

"So you gave the police something to work on," Felicity said softly, absorbing it. "That was actually a pretty smart move. They may not have enough to go after China White, but maybe they can get more surveillance on them. Maybe they can even get warrants now to bug their system. Find out about their drug shipment," Felicity said, turning back to her computer in a rush. They all looked at each other in confusion, not understanding what she was trying to get at.

Oliver's eyes trailed after her slightly swaying ponytail. She was excited about something.

"I'll talk to my dad, Oliver. I'll see what the old man is up to," Sara said, throwing on her jacket and pulling out her phone as she went upstairs to the club. Sara knew the rules. Her dad was her weak spot, and she needed to make sure he would stay out of Bratva business.

"We need to be more careful, John," Oliver hissed. He should have seen what Diggle was doing. Maybe he'd been too distracted, out of focus. He looked at Felicity again. The smart blonde had set him on edge the other day, her pain making him relive pieces of his own. Things were really starting to get fucking confusing and complicated with them.

"We're being careful, Oliver. I was being careful. Lance took the bait and now he will look more carefully into Triad business," Diggle said, not backing down, "We gave him a legal opening we've never had.

"We can keep an eye on Lance as well. We can place a bug in his phone when he has dinner with Sara, which she's probably asking him to upstairs," Roy supplied, speaking for the first time since they came down, "We can make sure that nothing leads back to us or to Bratva."

"I can help you guys with that," Felicity said, as she jumped up from her chair and walked over to them with her tablet in hand. "I can put together an untraceable bug, and we can use it to hack into the GPS signal of his phone. As long as he keeps his phone near him we can listen in on everything he does or talks about," Felicity said, already thinking about the tiniest piece of hardware they could use for the bug.

"Can you do that?" Oliver asked, more in reassurance than anything else.

"Please, you wound me by asking that," Felicity said with a smirk. She could do this.

"Good," Oliver lightly, watching as she froze and realized what she'd been doing. The smile slipped off her face.

Oliver had been avoiding her for the past two days, ever since she'd woken up stuck in a nightmare with China White. He had been more distant and closed off, spending all his time at Queen Consolidated and coming back to the mansion after she'd fallen asleep. He would come to bed after she was asleep and wake up before her. This hot and cold was giving her whiplash.

He was just turning to talk to Roy and Diggle when Felicity said, "Oliver?"

"Yes, Felicity?"

"Can we talk?" she asked almost nervously, biting her lower lip and tapping her fingers against the tablet. She couldn't take this hot and cold anymore, "In private?"

"Fine," he said, looking back at Diggle and Roy. They gave both of them a knowing look and disappeared upstairs to check on Sara.

This was the first time they'd been alone and awake in almost two days.

They stood in an awkward silence for a few seconds, Oliver looking conflicted and Felicity feeling her hands start to sweat. It was uncomfortable, like they hadn't spent the past few weeks together. Like they hadn't grown closer with each passing day. Like they hadn't been through so much together already. Like they were only strangers.

They were silent until Felicity gathered the courage to speak.

"Ummm, I guess I should start," Felicity said, nervously pushing her glasses up her nose.

"Is there a point to this? I need to finish talking to Diggle before I go back to QC," Oliver inquired, looking irritated.

Felicity narrowed her eyes at his tone as she tucked her hair behind her ear. He didn't have the right to talk to her like that. "I talked with Sara about what happened," since we haven't talked went unsaid, "I wanted to thank you for saving my life. I know that you promised me you would keep me safe when I joined your quest. But I…I just wanted to say how thankful I am that it was you sitting with me on that restaurant and nobody else. I don't want to think about what would have happened if it wasn't for you."

"You would be dead. You have the worse sense of self-preservation I've ever seen." Oliver said, cold and detached. He didn't need her to say thank you.

Her shoulders slumped but her eyes held the same narrowed eyed look. She couldn't understand why he was acting like this again. How could he simply say that?

"I know, I'm trying to work on that," she said, sighing angrily. He could continue acting like a jerk if he wanted to, "But still, thank you. You saved me. I don't know if I will ever be able to repay you for that." She was now another member of the 'Saved by Oliver' group. Another one of Peter Pan's lost boys and girls.

He made her reel back a little when he said, "You want to thank me? You can do that by doing your job. That's the only thing I need from you, Felicity. That way we can end this farce sooner than later."

Oliver turned and abruptly finished the conversation. He disappeared up the stairs, along with any trace that he actually cared about her.

* * *

><p>Felicity returned to her workstation as soon as Oliver left the basement. His disinterest hurt her, much more than she would like to admit, and this feeling only served to anger her. So she decided to focus her energy in a more productive way, even though hitting the training dummy that Sara spent hours training on seemed like a really good idea right now.<p>

Hunkering down she began working on the special item she had asked Oliver for on her supply list. This she could focus on. Minutes turned into an hour as she worked on the small piece in front of her. Felicity was shocked out of her working mode when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand.

Someone was watching her.

"Do you need something?" she asked, annoyed and not looking back at the person. It was probably Oliver coming back to get his jacket without her realizing it.

"I'm just wondering what you're doing," Diggle said, his voice echoing in the almost empty and silent basement. Oliver had asked Roy to take him to QC, after collecting his jacket and tie, and for Diggle to stay at Verdant. Sara had left to deal with some Bratva business, leaving her and John Diggle alone for the first time in weeks.

"Where's Sara?" Felicity asked, looking around for the other blonde, "Shouldn't you be with Oliver?"

Diggle approached her slowly, "Sara had Bratva business to deal with. Oliver has gone back to the office."

"Oh giving your bromance a chance to breathe after you didn't tell him you dumped the body," Felicity blurted out. She didn't even say sorry or excuse herself. They both knew she was right.

John nodded, stopping a couple feet from her desk, "So again, what are you doing?"

"I'm creating a small portable anti-bugging device. The one that you guys carry along is ridiculous, and so obvious. I wanted to come up with something more inconspicuous," Felicity said, pointing at the small device she was almost done fiddling with. "This way you can add it to a wrist watch and no one would have any idea that you're bug free, even if you're searched. I mean, not bugs-bugs. Not that it would be any of my business if you did. But let's get back to it. I've never seen Sara wear a watch. But maybe I can add one to a bracelet or something. A large bangle? Are bangles still fashionable? Maybe she would like a wrist band," Felicity rambled, and for the first time ever, she could see a faint smile painted on John Diggle lips. Even though he was always stoice he seemed amused by her word vomit.

"That can come in handy. Very well thought Ms. Smoak." John said, looking impressed.

"I try," she whispered, hoping that Oliver would see it as useful as Digg did. It was the least she could do. She needed to show she could help them out. To win their trust.

Diggle put a screeching halt to that thought.

"If you're trying to get The Crow's affection and approval with this, you better not get your hopes up. Oliver is not the kind of man that opens up like that."

"Its not about that," Felicity said with a scowl, hating that she seemed to come off as transparent. She didn't care about what Oliver thought of her. They were only business partners, nothing more, "Sara told me I have to earn his trust. That's what I'm doing."

Diggle scoffed. He wished Oliver could have a normal life, find love, but that wasn't possible for a Bratva Captain. Anatoly would never allow it. This thing between Oliver and Felicity was dangerous. And even though Diggle hated himself for having to point it out, someone had to.

"What is your problem?" she asked defensively, crossing her arms against her chest, her stare hard, "Oliver has been cold and distant to me, especially the last couple of days. That's nothing in comparison to how you act and look at me. You look at me with anger. Like I'm going to bring this all falling down!"

"You could. You and Oliver are playing a very dangerous game here. We both know that things are getting more complicated each day. Both of you are too scared to admit you both are confused because things are different and it's more than just mere appearances."

Felicity flushed and hissed, "I…this is none of your business."

"Felicity, you are an unnecessary variable in the equation. One that none of us ever considered, one that makes Oliver lose his focus. He is one of the most controlled men I've ever known, but all of that is crumbling. You're making him act without thinking. And that is very dangerous."

"So you'd rather have him be a cold blooded killer?" she fumed, "And you know the Triad is close right? Closer than they've never been before. This would throw anyone off."

Diggle ignored her bit about the Triad. They'd always been close, "No. I would rather have him not die because of something stupid."

Felicity placed the device back on the table, "Oliver can take care of himself."

"Oh I have no doubt about that. He is very capable. Except when it comes to you it seems."

"Are you always such a noisy asshole or is just with the new team members?" she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm. "You don't know me, Mr. Diggle. You have no right to judge me. But you don't have to worry; your precious Crow is back to his regular prick ways. You have nothing to fear. All he cares about is his vendetta and the image we portray," Felicity said coldly, trying to hold back the anger and frustration she was feeling. The sooner he left the faster he could go back to work.

"Good" John said. He watched as she pulled her eyes away from him and went back to work as if he wasn't there, "You may think I don't like you Felicity, but I'm looking out for both you and Oliver. You two keep your head in the game. The mission is our priority. All of our lives are at stake here."

"And I wouldn't do anything to jeopardy that," Felicity ground out.

"You better. Cause Anatoly isn't known for his forgiveness," Diggle warned.

Felicity curled her fingers around the device and scanned it with her eyes. She was done with this conversation, "I know Diggle. All of our lives are at risk. And no matter what you think I won't let Oliver or you guys down."

"I hope you prove me wrong, Felicity. For all of our sakes."

* * *

><p>Tonight was supposed to be another night of impressions. Showing people at Verdant, in the mafia and in QC that they were a loving couple. They were supposed to show the public eye something together.<p>

It wasn't going well.

Felicity sat next to Sara and Roy with a fresh drink in front of her. Her hands twitched in her lap, looking across the VIP section to him. She wanted to stand up from her couch. Go to him. Go to Oliver where he stood close to a pale woman with a winning and flirtatious smile.

She didn't understand why she felt like this. Why him being close to that woman did something to her. Why it made her want to grind her teeth and pretend like it wasn't bothering her. She didn't understand why she was feeling like this especially after he'd reverted back to his jerk version of himself.

They'd been getting to know each other better lately. Even when they were attacked and even when she woke up from a dream screaming…they were getting to know and trust each other better. How each ticked, moved, and how to move around each other; there back and forth was a dance. They had even laughed together; a seemingly impossible feat with the brooding and possessive Oliver Queen.

And now he just stood there on the other side, with that woman close to him, when they were supposed to be pretending as if they were in love. Oliver and the woman were familiar with each other, that much was obvious. The way that the woman held herself, the light laugh and smile on her face. There was history there.

Felicity didn't like feeling like this. She felt…jealous. And used.

They were partners. A united front. And the last time she had been here he had made it clear that no one was to touch her or even look at her because she was The Crow's woman. Now she saw what being The Crow's woman really gave her; a partnership full of boundaries and rules that were being pushed and pulled and confusing her. A partnership where the man she was working with thought he could mess with her emotions by being so back and forth.

Picking up her drink she made a decision.

"Sara," she said, interrupting her conversation with Roy, "Sorry for interrupting, but could you walk me downstairs." Downstairs to their secret foundry was left unsaid.

Sara nodded, "Ok. Roy can you tell Oliver where I'm taking her."

She wanted to reach out and tell her no, don't do it. But it was useless. Roy had already stood and began approaching Oliver and 'the woman' and Sara had taken her upper arm, steering her to the stairs and down into the crowd.

She didn't look back. She needed to clear her mind. Some good time away from Oliver would help.

* * *

><p>Oliver had been at Verdant with Felicity for about an hour before he was pulled away to talk business. For over thirty minutes he discussed things with certain associates of Bratva. When he was about done and turning to rejoin Felicity, a voice stopped him.<p>

"Well, well, well," Helena said from behind him, her raspy voice echoing with the heavy beat of the club music. He turned to her. "Looks like all the rumors were true after all," she said, holding a champagne flute in her hand. As usual she looked vicious and stunning at the same time. Oliver knew in that moment that Helena was only there to cause him trouble.

"Helena," Oliver practically snapped, putting his fake smile on. The one she hated. He wasn't surprised to see her between the VIP members of Verdant that night. It had been a while since they had last spoken – the longest they had since they had started their affair months ago. He couldn't simply kick her out; he did business with her father.

He had to play nice.

"So, who is your new toy?" she asked him with an arched eyebrow, moving her body closer to his. Way too close.

"Should I have any idea what you're talking about?" Oliver said, keeping a steady eye on her. He was not in the mood to play Helena's games tonight. He'd had a terrible week and the last thing he needed was her to make things even worse.

"The little blondie," Helena answered, pointing towards where Felicity was watching them at the other side of the VIP room, with curiosity and a hint of ire in her eyes, "The rumor is that she was the one to finally catch The Crow's heart."

"Is that so?" Oliver said, watching how tense Felicity seemed to get by the second. She seemed bothered. She gave him an angry look before turning to talk to Sara, and ignoring him. She had a right to be angry after the last couple days. He'd been an ass to her. Now she'd seen him with Helena and he could only imagine what she must be thinking. It bothered him, "If that's the rumor than it must be true."

"And here I was thinking that you didn't have a heart," she said, moving her perfectly manicured red nails up and down his chest. "But I needed to see with my own eyes. Isn't she a pretty little bird?" Helena teased, her voice filled with venom.

"Don't," Oliver said with clenched teeth. "I don't want to start a scene here, Helena." Oliver removed her hand from his body. "It's none of your business who I spend my time with. I don't want or have the time to play your games."

"Really? I thought you liked to play with me," she whispered, trying to sound sensual. "Are you going to tell me that that little girl really does satisfy you? That she can do all the things that I can do? That she feels as good as I do?"

"Helena, stop it," Oliver said, moving his body away from hers and making it clear that he didn't want to be in her presence anymore, "We have no business together anymore. I thought I had made this pretty clear the last time we spoken. We are done."

He watched the fire in her eyes turn glacial. Helena was known for her short temper and her vicious ways.

"We are done when I say we are," she said angrily, holding onto his arm.

"Don't kid yourself," Oliver hissed, taking her hand and removing it from his suit jacket, probably with more force than necessary. "You were just another fuck between endless others that I had. And you're right. I'm a one-woman kind of guy now. But she is not you," Oliver spit out, making her even angrier. If there was something that Helena hated more than anything, was to lose.

"Are you sure you want to play this game, Oliver? We both know you're going to end up in my bed, one way or the other. No matter how much you play hard to get."

"You give yourself too much credit," Oliver said with disdain.

"I'm the woman for you Oliver. For The Crow. You know that. And that's why you're going to come back to me…like you always do"

"Helena, why don't you go back home to your fiancé?" Oliver said, his eyes scanning the room and not finding Felicity and Sara. Roy was walking towards him. Without looking back at her he said, "And trust me, you don't want to play this game with me. Because you're going to lose. Stay away from me, or you're going to regret ever crossing path."

* * *

><p>She'd only managed to turn on one of her monitors when he followed after her. Felicity had looked back, face pinched, and drink still in her hand as he came down the stairs. Her face closed off at seeing Oliver. She turned away and turned on another monitor.<p>

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, hands hanging loosely by his side as he watched her. Her rigid back told it all. She was mad. No she was livid.

"Are you ok?" he asked almost carefully.

"Yes," she snapped.

Oliver didn't know why he kept pushing, "Doesn't sound like it. Why'd you run down here? Did you find something?"

Felicity remained silent. She didn't want to tell him.

He stayed in his spot. Roy had told him that she was angry and needed some air before giving him a pointed look and leaving to find Sara. And in all honesty Oliver had been waiting for this moment all week, "Felicity, tell me."

"There's nothing to tell. I just…needed some time to myself," she answered angrily.

"So that's why you're not looking at me and your hand with the glass is shaking," Oliver pointed out.

Felicity let out a frustrated growl and placed the glass on the desk a little too harshly.

"Yeah you're not angry at all."

Felicity tapped her fingers against the desk, trying to figure out how she was going to word this. She ended up blurting out, "Shouldn't you be upstairs."

Oliver raised an eyebrow. He hadn't been expecting that, "No."

Felicity snorted as she typed something into the computer, logging in.

"Felicity," he tried once more, starting to feel the pull of anger. She had never ignored him like this, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

She whirled around at this choice of words, eyes blazing and said, "What the hell is wrong with me? Fine. You want to be an ass to me then go ahead. But you were flirting! That's not part of the deal."

"What? I wasn't," he assured.

"Yes you were. I'm not blind. The rest of the VIP section, the little bit of people you actually let up there saw it all. And I just sat there watching. Looking like a fool. Feeling like one too!" Felicity said with a wave of her hand, getting frustrated by his look of confusion and anger.

"I wasn't flirting with her!" Oliver shot back. Helena was a pain, an utter pain in the ass, that caused him trouble even when she wasn't there.

Felicity pinched the bridge of her nose, "Well it sure as hell looked like it!"

He watched her for a second. This was all wrong, "What are you really angry about?"

She looked at him in bewilderment and anger, "What?"

He practically stalked towards her. It set her on edge but she held her ground, pulling her shoulders back and looking at him straight in the eye. This was the first in days that he'd engaged her in any sort of talk.

"What are you really angry about?" he repeated.

Felicity exhaled loudly through her nose before blurting out, "Because as much as you say that I belong to you, you belong to me!"

"Excuse me?" That wasn't the answer he expected.

"This isn't about jealousy Oliver. You wouldn't do 'it', at least in front of me. You wouldn't risk your precious Anatoly finding out. This is about the image you want to project. That I'm your woman. That I don't flirt or even look like I'm flirting with other men because I am so unbelievably in love with you that I wouldn't DARE do something like that!" she ranted and Oliver followed her in rapt attention, "I…I don't want to feel like this. This back and forth that sets me on edge. If I'm yours then YOU are mine. You are MY man. You should 'look' like you're flirting with me. And you should look like you are so unbelievably in love with me that you wouldn't even DARE let a woman like that think she could be in your space without repercussions."

She wasn't finished yet.

"And another thing. I don't know what the hell happened to you after the restaurant or what I did wrong but I need you to get back into the game with me. All this back and forth isn't going to get us anymore. So stop being a dick and act like the partner that I should trust and believe in to protect my back!"

When she was done she was panting, cheeks flushed. A part of her wanted to bolt. To hide at the way that she had vomited all of that out. The other part was proud. She had stood up to him. And he was saying…nothing. He was just staring at her with the dopiest smile.

Oliver couldn't help but smile. No one had ever done this to him; called him out on every single thing he had done to annoy them. A part of him was ashamed at having treated her like he had after they had pushed forward. Another part of him was proud of her and maybe even slightly turned on. Of course he didn't say any of this to her. Instead he said, "You yelled at me, The Crow."

Felicity narrowed her eyes, "Is that judgment I here?"

Oliver kept on grinning, "No, pride."

She eyed him warily as she deflated. She couldn't stay mad at that face and the way that it was grinning at her. After a couple seconds of silence she asked, "So we have an understanding?"

He nodded, reaching up to tug a loose curl, "We do."

"Good," Felicity said as she reached up and grasped his hand. He was too close.

Oliver sighed before pulling his hand away, "I wouldn't, you know."

"Wouldn't what?"

"Flirt with someone else. Or do anything with anyone else," Oliver clarified, "I have business with Helena's father. I won't deny that I've had sex with her but it's over. I told her I was a one woman man."

"And you'll stop acting like an ass towards me?" Felicity asked, watching as his grin turned into a smile.

He should say no, but he couldn't. He was deep in it now. "I'll try my best," he teased lightly as he held his hand out, "Why don't we go up and try to salvage this fuck up of a night. Have a drink and forget the last couple days?"

She saw the out he was giving her as he held his hand out. They would go back to the way things had been before this weeks supposed 'fuck up' with no more talking or looking into why they felt this way towards each other.

Felicity took his hand.

Curling his fingers around hers they both relaxed, letting the past week wash off them and disappear as he led her back to the VIP section. When they reached their seating area Roy and Sara were there again, both curiously looking at them and trying to figure out what had happened.

Oliver sat her down and stood next to her, "You left your drink downstairs. What were you drinking?"

Felicity looked at him curiously, the lights of the club bouncing off his inquiring face. She felt like something had locked into place at the sight.

She took his hand, "Gin and tonic please?"

He leaned down and surprised her with a tender kiss to the temple before moving to the bar to get it. Both felt better than they had in days.

When he returned with her drink he gathered her close to his side and whispered into her ear, "She's watching you."

Felicity didn't have to ask who it was. She searched the VIP area and caught onto Helena's eyes.

"Raise your glass at her," Oliver whispered smoothly, "Smile."

She did just that and Helena bristled before storming off.

Felicity turned her face to his, "Is that going to cause us problems later?"

Oliver shrugged, the words rolling off his tongue more easily than ever before and something easing in his chest at being this close to her once more, "I'm yours. Now she knows."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Woo! Another chapter done! Hope this helps with all the feelz that this week's episode of Arrow is surely to give us. :D**

**Thank you for reading! You have been the most amazing readers and we love this fandom! 333**

**Love,**

**PoisonAngelMuse and TheAlternativeSource**


	8. Undiscovered

**The Crow Chapter 8 – Undiscovered**

**Disclaimer:** We own nothing but our plot and our own characters. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to DC Comics and CW Television. All rights over this idea and its concepts belong to us. This work is intended for the private enjoyment of the reader and is not to be shared on any other sites (besides AO3 and FF) or events without our express permission.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hi everyone! Thank you all for the amazing support. We love you guys so much! It's been a crazy ride!**

**We wanted to thank the amazing ****Girl Wednesday**** for the breathtaking video trailer she made for 'The Crow'! Go watch it and follow her on Twitter **** xxMariaT**

**YOUTUBE - watch?v=FXwb0ONOzMo&feature= **

**As always, the links for the Polyvore sets are on PoisonAngelMuse profile page.**

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**Link for The Crow Soundtrack - /lyra-aureus/the-crow-official-soundtrack**

**Enjoy!**

**Music – Undiscovered by Laura Welsh**

* * *

><p><em>You're the only one that I've got<em>

_But I can't get lost in you_

_I can't get lost in you_

_It can be someone I know_

_To make it up to you_

_Make it up to you_

_You're undiscovered_

_I wanna see the rest of you_

_I can't get next to you_

_I can't get next to you_

_You don't wanna look ahead_

_When it's staring back at you_

_Staring back at you_

_UU uu uu_

_UU uu uu_

_Baby I'm about to lose_

_UU uu uu_

_But I can't decipher you_

_You're undiscovered_

_I wanna see the rest of you_

_I can't get next to you_

_I can't get next to you_

_It's evident that you never were fully person_

_In a composition_

_Holding in what you really want_

_Left no evidence that you were listening_

_It's evident that you never were fully person_

_In a composition_

_Holding in what you really want_

_Left no evidence that you were listening_

_You're undiscovered_

_I wanna see the rest of you_

_I can't get next to you_

_I can't get next to you_

"You know my legs are shorter than yours," Felicity panted as they rounded a corner in the gardens.

Oliver looked over in surprise. They'd been going at a steady pace for about 10 minutes and this was the first they'd spoken, "What?"

"My legs," Felicity said, pointing down as they continued to jog, "They're shorter than yours. So when you're jogging it's really running for me."

Oliver hummed, a grin breaking out on his face to compliment her small frown, "Sounds like we'll have to build up your endurance."

A surprised sound left her lips as he really started moving. One second he was next to her and the next he was yards in front of her. "This is running," Oliver shouted back when he reached the end of the garden section and disappeared around some hedges.

Felicity groaned and slowed down to a stop. She pushed the hair out of her face and started walking after him.

"Can't believe Oliver left me," Felicity said as she followed the beautiful path. It wasn't like it was a horrible place to be left in but she wasn't built for things like this. "It's not about endurance Oliver. Its about you being freakishly tall!" she shouted, hoping that he heard her. He wasn't freakishly tall but she needed to say something. Hopefully he heard her and would come back.

Ever since she gave him 'the speech' down in the foundry he'd reverted back to the man she was starting to know. Sure, he was still closed off and sometimes he would get into what she had 'dubbed' as the The Crow mode, but he'd do things like what he had just done right now. Half of the time she was still pretty sure that he was poking fun at her to rile her up; get a smile or glare from her.

She never acknowledged/said out loud that she liked doing the same thing to him.

Going back to what she was saying about the couple days after the Verdant speech. The day after, he had shaken her shoulder, pulling her from her slumber, and asked her if she wanted to join him again on a jog. There was apprehension to his shoulders that she instantly wanted to erase. She had easily agreed.

And this became their routine in the morning. Oliver would wake her up and give her enough time to drag her sleepy body off the bed before they headed out for a light jog before he got ready for work and she headed down for breakfast. Him leaving her like he did right now was of no surprise. He had been looking for something to get her back for the mud accident and this was it.

Finally able to catch her rapidly beating heart and calm it down, she reached the line of hedges Oliver had disappeared into. She jumped back when her body collided with something or someone.

"What are you doing out here?" a voice asked.

It was Anya.

Felicity edged around Anya. There was something about the maid that threw her off big time. Keeping her tone light she said, "Oh nothing. Just going on a morning jog with Oliver."

Anya lifted up the corner of her mouth in what Felicity thought looked like a scowl, before looking around them, "Seems like you're running by yourself. You shouldn't be out here by yourself."

Felicity laughed, hoping that her voice didn't show how unnerved she felt, "Oliver just jogged up ahead as a joke. Showing me how fast he could run."

Anya hummed and was about to say something else when the devil himself appeared.

"Thought you got lost," Oliver said as his eyes landed on Felicity and then Anya. His shoulders straightened a bit and he lost that lose nature he always held while jogging with her, "Anya."

Anya inclined her head, "Good morning Mr. Queen."

Anya had been keeping herself scarce since Felicity's arrival and this was the first time she'd been able to catch Felicity alone. It was as suspicious to Oliver as it was to Felicity.

Oliver held his hand out to Felicity. She took it quickly and let herself be tucked into his side. Anya watched them steadily, as if calculating everything and putting it away for future use.

"Felicity should be inside for breakfast in about 30 minutes. Tell Nicholai that she would like…" Oliver looked at Felicity.

She looked up at Oliver with a smile as she placed an intimate hand on his hard chest, "Waffles?"

Her eyes fluttered closed when he grinned at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Yes, waffles. Tell Nicholai to make her some waffles."

"As you wish," Anya said, sparing Felicity one last glance before she walked back towards the mansion in the direction they had come from originally.

Oliver tugged her around the hedges and around to the back of the house, his large hand still holding her small one.

"Well that wasn't creepy at all," Felicity said. She wanted to press her hand where he kissed her head but resisted.

"Did she say anything to you?" Oliver asked, an edge to his voice as he looked around.

"Ummm…well not much. Just asked what I was doing and that I shouldn't…be alone out here."

Oliver jaw clenched. He shouldn't have left her alone, even just to tease her, "I shouldn't have left you."

Felicity shook her head as they got closer to the mansion's east entrance, "While I admit that she's pretty scary and that I should watch out for her most of all, I think I would've been ok. There's nothing to apologize for."

His grip loosened a bit as he really looked down at the petite woman, "That's something we should talk about actually."

"Talk about what?" she asked in confusion, stepping over a small puddle of water. She didn't miss the look Oliver gave her at the sight of it, daring her. She ignored the puddle on the dirt path.

"About you defending yourself. If anything," Oliver pointed behind them, "like that happens again, I want you to be able to defend yourself."

"Against Anya?"

"No, against everyone," Oliver corrected, "You should be able to defend yourself. How do you feel about training with Sara a couple days a week?"

He watched her steadily as her mind flashed back to when she watched Roy and Sara train, "I see a lot of bruises coming my way."

Oliver chuckled as they caught sight of the doors of the mansion, "So is that a yes?"

Felicity kicked a small rock in her path, "Sara's ok with this?"

"Yes, she is. Even picked out some workout clothes for you already," Oliver said lightly. He laughed when Felicity whirled around to look at him.

"Already? She moves so fast," Felicity commented. She already had enough clothes and felt that maybe the woman was teasing her with every new purchase.

"I just want you to be able to protect yourself, Felicity," Oliver said. He didn't say what he really wanted to say. That he wanted her to be trained so she would be safe, so she would be able to handle herself when no one else was around.

Felicity smiled warmly as she bumped her shoulder against his lightly, "For when you're not there?"

He didn't know how she knew what he was thinking as they approached the door.

"Exactly."

Neither noticed that they had continued their walk and entered the mansion still holding hands.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later they were both back in Oliver's room. Oliver was in front of his body length mirror, struggling with his tie and Felicity was slipping on her shoes and placing her hair into a slick ponytail. It felt…domestic.<p>

He looked at her through the mirror, "Why are you getting ready here?"

Felicity smoothed a hand over her hair and grabbed her purse, slowly approaching him.

She looked lovely. He looked handsome.

"I have something to give you," she said, stopping behind him. He turned to her and as if they had practiced this a million times, her hands came up automatically and finished tying his tie.

A blush rose to her cheeks at her boldness but neither said nothing when she finished and flattened it out over his chest. This was extremely domestic.

Oliver swallowed. She was close enough where he could smell her light perfume and see the small laugh lines at the corners of her mouth, "You were saying?"

Mentally shaking herself she took a step back and pulled out a small disk. She handed it over to Oliver, "This is for you."

He ran his thumb over the small disk. It had small clamps on the very edges. He felt something tighten in his chest. She had made this for him. No one had made him something in a very long time.

Felicity began explaining as she told another small step back, "It's for your watch. I know you worry about having your conversations listened and that you carry that anti-bugging device around. This is easier. It should slide into place on the back of it. The clamps with hold it still." She wasn't trying to back away from him; it was just that she felt awkward. She was giving The Crow a present. It was something that he could get great use of in his business, but it was still a present.

When he kept silent she continued, "Sara approved of it. And all the parts were on the list I gave you. I know it's not much…"

He looked at her then, shaking his head as an unfamiliar look passed over his face, "It's perfect…thank you."

She couldn't contain her smile, "Really?"

"Really," Oliver reassured her as he unclasped his watch and placed the anti-bugging device on the back of his watch. It fit perfectly.

There was a beat of silence as they both watched each other, unsure of what to say or how to move forward. This was different.

Felicity was the first one able to shake herself out of it. She tucked her hair behind her ears and shuffled a little in place, "See you later?"

Oliver nodded, eyes trained on hers, as his hand fiddled with the watch. He felt pride well in him. It really did fit perfectly, "Yeah."

"Ok," Felicity said as she moved away from him. She wanted to stay but she still felt the tendrils of nervousness flow through her at the gift giving. She paused at the door, hand on the doorknob, and looked back at him.

"Have a good day Oliver."

He was startled by the words but said them back almost automatically, "Have a good day Felicity."

Then she opened the door and was gone.

* * *

><p>"Oh," Felicity groaned in pain, her face once again hitting the training mats. Heaving a sigh she propped herself up on her forearms. They had been doing this for hours. Ever since Oliver suggested she should know some basic self-defense, Sara had taken the job to heart, and made it her mission to whip Felicity into shape. She was now responsible for the majority of Felicity's bruises.<p>

"Come on, Felicity. You can do this," Sara encouraged as Felicity slowly started to get up.

"Yeah, you can do this," Roy said with a smirk, watching as Sara helped Felicity up on her feet.

"Shut up, Roy," Sara hissed as she and Felicity moved back into fighting position. They locked eyes, "You need to keep your focus. Watch my movements and anticipate them."

"I'm trying," Felicity said as Sara advanced on her. She tried to escape her blows, only to find herself once again falling down on her ass. She slapped the mat in frustration, "Fuck."

It's not like she wasn't trying. But Felicity had never done something as intense as this; trading half of her day working on upgrading QC's network and installing Verdant's, for this.

"You need to maintain your base. Center your weight," Sara said, moving to show Felicity how to position her feet, "Now try again."

Bouncing on the balls of her feet for a second Felicity propelled herself forward, throwing a few punches in Sara's direction that the other blonde easily blocked. Sara gave her a pleased smile when Felicity remained on her feet after she swiped at her.

"See. You can do this!" Sara said, pointing at her form, "Again."

They kept moving across the mat, playing off each other's movements slowly but surely. And all Felicity did was watch and wait for this opening that Sara promised her. After about another fifteen minutes of failed attempts she finally saw one and went for it; jabbing Sara right below the shoulder and sending her a couple steps back.

Felicity held still for a second; fearful that maybe she had hit her too hard. Sara's encouraging smile told her that she'd done well. She relaxed. A jab after about 3 sessions was good right?

"Go, Blondie!" Roy cheered, enjoying the spectacle. They both gave him a pointed look and he held up his hands in defeat.

They returned to their training. Sara took her time running Felicity through some routines and counterattacks. And Felicity tried to keep up and keep the sweat out of her eyes. Felicity lasted about ten minutes before Sara knocked her to the training mat once again.

Felicity grumbled and star fished on the mat, "That's it. Leave me here to count my bruises."

Sara walked over and dropped Felicity's towel on her stomach, "Felicity."

"I'm never going to get this right," Felicity said, wiping her face.

"You lasted longer than Roy did his first time," Sara teased lightly, "Took him about a week before he could get a jab in."

"I know where you keep your toothbrush," Roy said in a half joking and half-threatening tone, making Sara laugh.

Felicity lifted off her towel and tried not to gap. Sara, her bodyguard, her constant silent and almost always judgmental looking companion, had laughed. Not wanting to put the spotlight on her she just said, "Good to know I lasted longer than Roy."

"We've only had a couple sessions together. You're learning quickly," Sara said, offering her hand for Felicity to take.

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one that will be covered in bruises tomorrow," Felicity groaned, moving her hand over her tender side once she was on her feet. "You knocked me down enough times that the training mats and I are BFF's. We're getting friendship bracelets," Felicity said, making both Sara and Roy laugh.

"You'll get used to it. We all did," Sara said with a small understanding smile, handing Felicity a water bottle, "It'll be worth it in the end, trust me."

"Thanks," Felicity said, drinking water greedily.

"You need to work your hips into it," Diggle announced from the other side of the foundry, where he was silently watching the spectacle, "That's where all the power comes from."

"Oh God! How do you do that?" Felicity said, almost spitting out her water. "Moving all silently like that? And why are you in the shadows? Who do you think you are? Darth Vader or something?" Felicity rambled, a hand pressed to her chest.

Diggle shrugged before calmly saying, "I wanted to check out your training. Not bad for someone that's never had training before."

"Thanks, I guess," she said awkwardly. Diggle and her were still in a weird place in comparison to the others. At least Sara and Roy had warmed up to her. Diggle still kept his distance like a skittish animal; ready to strike at the first sign of trouble.

"I would offer my help, but Sara is doing a great job on her own," Diggle said, making Sara smile at him.

"That's because I had a great teacher," Sara supplied, stretching out a bit, "One that maybe should stop lurking in the shadows and actually help."

"Good to know," Diggle replied, a smile cracking on his face as he approached them.

Felicity felt like she was in the Twilight Zone. Teasing, joking, and then smiling from Diggle? She was really seeing things she'd never seen before while training here. It was almost as if she was getting a sneak peek at who they really were. This was progress. Especially Diggle, who she was pretty sure would brood and die of a heart attack before the age of 50.

Diggle turned his smile to Felicity. It dimmed a little but still was there. "Anyway, if you need help with your training, let me know," Diggle offered Felicity.

"Thank you. I will," she said, feeling that maybe he was warming up to her.

Diggle gave her a nod before peering down at his phone, "Come on Roy, Oliver's got some things he wants us to do."

Roy quickly pulled on his red hoodie and walked towards him, "Later."

"See you, ladies," Diggle said, as he and Roy walked up the metal stairs and out of the foundry.

"Bye," both Sara and Felicity replied, now alone for the first time all day.

Felicity moved to sit in front of her computers, drinking the last of her water bottle, as Sara moved to put the mats back in place. Felicity would have offered to help but Sara had the strictest organization for her training storage.

She wrung the empty bottle in her hands for a couple seconds before saying, "Hey, Sara?"

"Yeah?" Sara said without turning around.

"Can…I ask you a question?"

"You just did," Sara said, turning to look at her with a small smile. When she saw Felicity's serious face she said, "But sure, shoot."

"Why…why did you join Bratva when your father is a Detective for the SCPD?"

"Oh that," Sara said, looking away from Felicity and finishing cleaning up. Picking up her water bottle she sat in another chair near Felicity. "I was wondering how long you would wait to ask me that," Sara said softly, "Ever since you asked me how he chose us."

"I'm just curious…I mean…it's a little bit ironic that you of all people are in Oliver's inner circle; the daughter of a Detective. Yet he trusts you and you him," Felicity explained, "You once said that Oliver did much more than just save your life. What did you mean by that?"

"It's a long story," Sara mumbled, clearly uncomfortable with the subject.

"You don't have to tell me if you feel uncomfortable. I guess…I just wanted to understand."

A pregnant silence filled the basement. Sara seemed lost in her own memories and Felicity kicked herself mentally for putting Sara on the spot. She of all people should know that some things are better left unsaid. Buried in the past.

"I…I wasn't always like this," Sara said, pointing at all of herself, "Not long ago, I was wild, broken and lost. I…always felt out of place growing up. I always felt that I was the ugly duckling in the perfect family. My mom was a history professor and my dad a cop. My older sister…she…she was always the perfect child. Smart, polite, beautiful, always on top of her class and out of problems. All the things that I never felt that I could be." Sara pushed her body further into the chair. "When I was 16 my parents got a divorce – my mom had fallen in love with another man – and I guess I didn't take the news very well."

Sara ran her hand through her hair and looked up at Felicity as if trying to gauge her reaction. Felicity grabbed Sara another water bottle and handed it to her; silently encouraging her. Felicity was here to listen to whatever Sara wanted to share with her.

"I got angry…and I lost myself…in the wrong things and in the wrong people," Sara said, tucking her hair behind her ears and looking venerable for the first time since Felicity had known her, "By the time I was 21, I had bailed college and partied my way into drugs and debt. That's how I ended up at Verdant and in the clutches of its newest drug dealer, Antony Ivo."

Sara cracked open the water bottle, using the distraction to ground herself.

"I'm sorry, Sara," Felicity said, struggling for words. No one had shared a secret like this with her before, "You don't have to..."

"No, I want to tell you," Sara said, keeping her eyes on the bottle in her hands. Things like this were difficult to talk about but she had decided that Felicity could know this piece of her. Maybe she could even learn a bit more about the world she was now in, "He was pushing a hallucinogenic called Vertigo. By the time Ivo came to collect the only thing I owned I hadn't talked to my family in months."

Felicity's eyes widened in realization, "Oh."

Sara nodded in agreement, "Yeah. Luckily Oliver showed up."

"Oliver?"

"Oliver was out for a smoke and he heard my screams. One second he was on me and the next Oliver ripped him off me, killed him with his bare hands," Sara looked up at Felicity, "And you know what he said to me?"

"What?" Felicity asked, eyes never wavering from her. She felt like Sara had pulled back a layer of herself and showed Felicity something special; how she was chosen. Felicity wouldn't betray this trust.

"That no woman should suffer at the hands of men," Sara whispered, tears finally pooling in her bright blue eyes. "Oliver saved me that night and all the ones after."

"How?"

Sara ran the back of her hand under eyes, a hint of a smile on her lips, "He helped me get back on my feet. He paid for my rehab, gave me a job at Verdant, and eventually he brought me into Bratva. I told you that Oliver chose you. Well he chose me too. He saw something in me that no one ever saw. He made me accept myself the way I am. Oliver and the brotherhood were what kept me going. What kept me sober all those years."

"Wow," Felicity said, overwhelmed.

"I got back in touch with my family two years ago. I was too messed up before to let them get close to me," Sara said, her tone holding a touch of sadness.

"Does your father know? About Bratva I mean?"

"No," Sara shook her head, "Or at least I think he doesn't know. He knows that while I was high someone tried to hurt me and that Oliver saved me. He thinks I worked at Verdant and that now I'm your personal bodyguard. I think his heart wouldn't be able to take knowing that I'm part of the brotherhood."

"I'm so sorry, Sara. I am so sorry you had to go through all of those things." Felicity said, not hesitating to reach over and take Sara's hand in support, "I just…thank you for sharing this with me."

Sara looked surprised as she returned the hold, "I'm not…sorry anymore. Because if not for them, I wouldn't be the person that I am today. I wouldn't have met Oliver, Diggle, Roy and…even you. I'm happy where I am."

Felicity shifted in her seat before clearing her throat, "Thank you Sara."

The things that Sara had shared with Felicity would change things between the two women. Sara Lance, the person that that could barely stand her presence a couple weeks ago had now shared one of the most personal aspects of her life. Maybe with time Felicity would feel comfortable sharing her own.

* * *

><p>Felicity was more used to seeing the foundry's cement walls than her own bedroom. Between training, following up on Captain Lance and his bugged phone, and beginning her analysis on The Triads systems again, Felicity had very little time to dwell on what was going on between her and Oliver.<p>

So as she put the final touches on her latest gadget, she looked over to where Sara sat. She could feel the woman's eyes on her as she worked. She looked anxious for some reason.

"You know, you watching me work won't make things go any faster," Felicity singsonged as she welded the final piece onto the device for Sara.

"It's not my fault that I'm the only one without any cool toys to play with," Sara said, using her legs to swing her back and forth on the chair she was sitting in next to Felicity's workstation.

"Well, yours needed more attention. It's your own fault for not wearing a watch. Even Roy went with it," Felicity said as she pointed down at the special anti-bugging device she was making for Sara.

Sara had put her foot down a few days ago and said she wouldn't wear the watch that Felicity had designed for them. She'd then gone on to tell Felicity about why she didn't like things touching her wrists and constricting her movements. Felicity immediately looked for an alternative.

"I don't like feeling constricted," Sara insisted easily. She had been a bit more talkative since sharing a piece of herself and Felicity enjoyed the new companionship.

"Yeah, yeah. You already told me that," Felicity said as she finally finished, "Can you pass me the pliers, please?"

"Sure," Sara said, looking inside the toolbox by her feet and finding it quickly, "Here."

"Thanks," Felicity said absentmindedly as her hands worked to attach the anti-bugging device to Sara's locket.

"Ok, I think I'm done," Felicity said, closing the fake stone, connecting the two halves to hide the small device. The black onyx stone was discreet enough that people would believe that Sara had chosen to wear it on her own. Felicity attached it to a gold chain and held it out to Sara.

"Finally. Let me see it," Sara said anxiously, making grabby hands.

"Calm down, will you?" Felicity said with a laugh as Sara took it, "Be careful, it must be hot where I closed it."

"Oh this looks great," Sara said in barely contained excitement as she inspected the small stone. "It's so light, how can you do that?" Sara asked, looking at Felicity curiously. No one had given her something personal like this in ages.

"Magic," Felicity said with a smile, waggling her fingers and making Sara roll her eyes at her.

"What's next? A gun inside a lipstick?" Sara asked as she put on the necklace and inspected the stone.

Felicity shrugged, "I'm sure I can work on something if you'd like. I'm sure there's a Wikipedia page that shows how."

Sara placed a hand on her chest, "You know the way to my heart. You're making me feel like James Bond."

Felicity brightened at the response, "Does that make me your Q?"

"Your geekyness knows no bounds, I hope you know that," Sara said laughing.

"I am well aware of that," Felicity said, grinning and joining in on her light laughter.

They were interrupted by the sound of familiar heavy footsteps coming down the stairs.

She knew it was Oliver before she could see his face.

The tugging at the corner of her lips was involuntary as he approached them. There was something about the casual clothes and stubble-ridden jaw that caused a small flutter of butterflies in her stomach. She didn't know what was happening but her heart was definitely speeding up at the way his eyes brightened slightly at seeing her.

"Hi, boss," Sara said with a smile, still playing with her necklace.

"Sara," Oliver said, "New toy?"

"Yup. Your girl here is full of talents we didn't know of," Sara said, letting the stone rest on top of her light blue top.

"I'm well aware of that," Oliver said with an intensity that made Felicity gulp and Sara get up from her seat.

She looked between them curiously. "You two probably need to talk. I'm going to head out. Behave you two," Sara said with a wink, grabbing her jacket and leaving her and Oliver alone. Felicity immediately turned to putting her tools away.

"So, how are things going?" Oliver asked her, watching as she put her tools back inside the toolbox.

"Improving. The bug that Sara put on Detective Lance's phone is working like a charm. I got a lot of new intel. Not all of it is going to be useful but I'm sure we're getting there. Sadly, my attempts to get inside the Triad's system isn't going so well. After the last time…I guess they got better hackers to protect their system," Felicity rambled.

Oliver walked around the desk and stood next to her; watching her small hands work, "I'm sure you're going to do it."

Felicity felt pride well in her as she closed up her toolbox, "Yeah, I just need to pick up my game a little. The last time it was five of us crashing into their systems. I need to learn how to do everything on my own. Not to mention find out exactly how they tracked us. I can't make the same mistake twice."

Oliver took Sara's empty chair and put himself at her level. He didn't like her casually talking about this. Things like this weren't casual, "It wasn't your fault; you know that right?"

Felicity finally looked up at him, her eyes a bit sad but determined, "I know…but this time it's only my responsibility. I need to take as many precautions as possible. I can't let them track me…us this time."

They both noted the shift in words but didn't comment on it.

"If there's something I'm sure of," Oliver began delicately, "is that you are remarkable in everything you do, Ms. Smoak. You'll figure it out."

"Thank you for remarking on it," she said with a warm smile, one that Oliver returned. Felicity cleared her throat, "Anyway, I've been thinking about this whole thing with Detective Lance. I think we can use this. If we play our cards right, the cops, the FBI, will do all the dirty work for us – without it leading back to us, of course. We just have to dig around and supply them with useable information that matches their investigation."

Oliver looked impressed, "I like the way you think, Ms. Smoak."

"I thought you might, Mr. Queen," she replied, standing up and moving back to her computer station.

Oliver sat there, watching her as she crossed the room. Felicity left him unsure of what to do. He followed her to cover up his hesitation.

Felicity gave him a once over when he pulled up a chair next to desk. He was holding onto something, "Oliver, what's wrong? You're giving off some weird vibes."

"We need to talk."

"Oh. Nothing good ever comes out of the 'we need to talk' speech," Felicity teased, trying to hide her worry. She'd never had a good conversation that started that way. And if it was coming from Oliver's lips it was probably 3, 4, 5 times worse.

"I'm serious," Oliver said, looking at her carefully. The things he was about to tell her were necessary for both of their survival.

"So am I. Super serious with a degree in paying attention," she said, using humor to try to lighten the mood. She could see the furrow on his brow lighten a bit and deemed it a success.

"Fe-li-ci-ty," Oliver said, stretching out her name and making her pause in her rambling thoughts.

"Ok, ok. Say what you need to say, I am all ears," Felicity said, smoothing out her skirt with her hands and focusing entirely on Oliver.

Oliver began, "You know that after my parents and my little sister died, I moved to Russia to live with one of my father's best friends."

"Yes, Anatoly Knyazev aka The Pakhan of Bratva," Felicity completed.

"Exactly."

"He was the one to introduce you to the brotherhood?"

"Yes. He considers me his rightful heir and the future leader of Bratva," Oliver explained, "He raised me to fulfill that part. Every action that he has taken with me ever since he took me in has had this goal in mind."

Felicity blinked, not really knowing what to say, "That's cold."

"He is a cold man," he agreed, mind caught in the past, as Felicity watched on inquisitively.

"Oliver, why are you telling me this? I thought you wanted me to stay away from Bratva business, unless it had to do with the system I designed for QC."

Oliver placed a hand on the desk and leaned a bit forward, "Because as you know, my uncle believes that we are together. That's the only reason why you would be living here in the mansion."

"Yes, that's why we keep this farce up," she said, swallowing past the words. They nagged at her.

"He demanded to meet you next week," Oliver blurted out, wanting to take it off, quick like a bandage.

Felicity reeled back a bit, "Excuse me?"

"I'm going to Moscow," Oliver started to say carefully, watching how face became more disbelieving, "like I do every few months to discuss Bratva business, and he demanded for me to bring you with me."

"Oh my God," she said desperately, as the situation finally hit her. Her hands flailed, as she spoke, "No, Oliver I can't go to Russia with you."

"Hey, everything will be ok," he said, trying to calm her down.

"No, Oliver! It won't," she said as fear coursed through her. He was asking her…no telling her, that she was going to Russia with him to meet the leader of the Russian Mafia. It felt like the entire scale of the situation had tripled.

"We don't have a choice, Felicity."

"Tell him that I can't go. That I have work. That I'm sick. That I'm terrified of planes. Anything," Felicity said frantically, the mere thought of meeting Anatoly sent a chill deep into her bones, "He will know the truth if he sees us together, Oliver."

"Anatoly is not the kind of man that takes no for an answer, Felicity," Oliver explained as he stood from the chair and stepped closer to her, tentatively placing a hand on her shoulder. He knew it was the right decision when she leaned into him, "He always gets what he wants, one way of another. If I don't take you with me, he will be suspicious and he will come after you anyway. The best we can do is to keep pretending, go the easier route. You don't want to go down the hard route, trust me on this."

"Oh God," Felicity said, feeling like she couldn't breathe. Things were so messed up and getting worse.

Oliver squeezed her shoulder. "Hey, we're going to be fine. We have been doing this for a while now. We've fooled a lot of people so far. Even my crazy psychotic ex. We can do that with my uncle, too. Ok?" Oliver said, in an encouraging tone. They had to do this.

Felicity pinched the bridge of her nose and nodded, "Ok."

"After all, what's a week in Russia?"

She gave him a pointed look, "Everything Oliver. It's everything."

* * *

><p>Oliver walked up the stairs of the mansion and towards the west wing. It had been a really long day at the office. Between surprise meetings and reports, Oliver had to even take his lunch hour to deal with one of his Bratva mans attempt to run a side business. Alexei Karenina had become a real problem for Oliver. The greedy 25 year old had apparently gone on a robbery, blackmail, and rape streak that went against the brotherhood code and could expose them. He had paid the price by Oliver's hands and set an example to all. Simple as that.<p>

Oliver might have gotten a little carried away though. Diggle had to rush him back to the mansion to shower and change his bloodstained suit before his board meeting at 2pm. No matter how controlled he tried to be, sometimes he exploded. And he hated this side of him, this monster; this dark and twisted part of himself. Every time he took a life, he felt like a small part of his soul died along with it. In the deepest part of him he feared that The Crow would consume Oliver Queen until one day he would have nothing left but a shadow of a man he once was.

So it wasn't a very good day from Oliver's point of view, no matter how good it started off with his usual morning jog with Felicity.

When he opened his bedroom door, all he could think about was having a hot shower, a warm meal and crash into his bed; forgetting the horrors of his day. What the didn't expect to find was Felicity laying down on the bed, dressed in tight leggings and a loose tank, with her laptop on her lap. She was watching something intently, her headphones on, and surrounded by junk food.

"Felicity?" Oliver called out but she didn't hear him. "Felicity!" he shouted, making her jump, startled.

"Holy Moses, you scared me Oliver," she said, removing her headphones and beaming at him. She hadn't seen him all day and was enjoying the creature comforts of being trusted more and having access to her laptop unsupervised.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked gruffly as he put his briefcase down on a chair and removed his suit jacket, "And why is there junk food all over my bed?" His eyes flickered over the open bag of Cheetos and Skittles on her right and he pint of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-cream on her left.

Her face scrunched up in confusion, not understanding the fuss, "What?"

"The food! It's going to get all over the comforter," Oliver said in disgust and annoyance. He always hated when people ate in bed, specifically his bed. It wasn't hygienic.

"Really, Oliver?" Felicity asked, the smile slipping off her face as she sat up. She hadn't thought he'd mind. The things around her were angled and she was watching them.

"Yes, really," Oliver said in exasperation as he began unbuttoning his tshirt and revealing the undershirt underneath. He caught sight of the empty glass tucked into her side, "Is that wine? On my bed?"

"I wasn't aware I had to ask for permission!" Felicity remarked with a frown. The anger radiating off of him was starting to affect her. "This is my bed too," she said angrily.

"Well, then keep this crap on your side," he hissed, coming around to his side of the bed and moving her things over the side table. He ran his hand over the comforter, swiping off some crumbs she'd missed.

She bit her lip, feeling a mixture of bad for missing some crumbs and anger at Oliver coming in here with an attitude as if she'd done it maliciously, "Why are you taking this out on me? I didn't do…"

Oliver pulled off his shoes and growled out, "Because I come home, wanting to relax and this is what I see. I don't understand why you…"

She gave him a disbelieving look as she threw up her hands and interrupted him, "I'm PMSing, ok?"

He twisted his body to look at her as she started to ramble.

"The oven is in a cleaning mode. The redcoats are coming. It's shark week," Felicity shouted, making him flinch with each word, "A girl has a right to sit down on 'her' comfy bed, because it's mine too, with comfort food and a little wine from time to time, ok?"

He opened his mouth to apologize. Fuck, he hadn't meant to take this out on her. He was just having a bad day. Felicity didn't allow him to speak as she opened the Skittles bag and popped a couple into her mouth.

"So I'm sorry that you'd rather not have all of this in here. But if I have to sleep in here, pretend that I am your girlfriend, so that your psychotic uncle won't kill us both, while suffering through some very personal issues that include cravings and cramps, then you'll have to endure it," she said, her skin flushed and her breathing a bit labored.

Oliver's shoulders deflated and he scratched the back of his neck, unsure of what to say next, "I apologize. I…I've had a bad day."

She hummed, clearly still mad, and laid back on her mountain of pillows. He fiddled with the sleeves of his shirt as he watched her uncertainly. She began typing, seemingly ignoring him.

"So…what are you doing on your computer?" Oliver carefully asked, trying to smooth out the tension in the room.

"Watching Netflix," she said under her breath.

Oliver removed his shirt and folded it over the chair nearby. Felicity did not follow his body with her eyes.

When he turned back to her he climbed into bed next to her, catching the red across the top of the screen, "Netflix?"

When she nodded and gave him no further response he sighed, "Where's the wine?"

Felicity's eyes flicked to his before looking over to the sitting area. A chilled wine bottle sat there. Picking up her empty glass he went and refilled it for her.

The crinkle between her brows eased when the glass was in her hands.

"So, Netflix?" Oliver tried again.

Felicity nodded, a small smile forming on her lips at the taste of the wine. "Yeah, I'm doing an X-files marathon," she said, freezing for a second and pointing at Oliver, "Don't you dare judge me, Oliver Queen."

Oliver held up his hands in defense, leaning back into the mountain of pillows next to her, his shoulder touching hers. When she didn't flinch away from him, Oliver knew that it was better, the cloud that he had come into the room with dispersing, "I happen to like the X-files."

"Really?" she challenged in a skeptical tone, as she slid down a bit. He followed her example, "You better not be messing with me. This is a classic here and a no mocking zone."

"I'm not. It was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. I loved the mix of mystery and science. The truth is out there you know?" Oliver said with a small smirk as Felicity's eyebrows rose high up on her head, still disbelieving, "But it's…been a while since I watched it. Years actually."

"I would never pick you as an X-Files lover," Felicity finally relented, as she clicked through the seasons and sipped her wine. She'd forgive him for being a jerk.

Oliver scooted a bit closer to look down at the screen, his thigh pressed against hers, "Well, it so happens that you don't know everything about me Ms. Smoak."

"Really? Like what?" she challenged him as her eyes traced his profile; the stubble sprinkled over his jaw and the soft slope of his nose and lips. This is the Oliver she had been expecting to return from work. She shifted awkwardly when he reached over and placed his hand on hers, scrolling through the episodes.

"Until I was 9 years old my dream was to be an astronaut," Oliver said,

"Seriously?" Felicity asked as she slipped her hand out from underneath his and continued to sip her wine.

"Oh yeah, my parents even bought me age appropriate and useable astronaut gear for my 8th birthday," Oliver admitted, making Felicity laugh into her glass, imagining a cute little blonde boy that dreamed to visit the moon. He hid his own smile by keeping turned away from her. He selected an episode.

"Let's watch this one," Oliver pointed out as the opening scene began.

Felicity gave a nod in approval as a boy appeared on screen, being chased by Mulder Fox, of all people. Neither of them moved away from each other or spoke as the episode played. The only movement was of the laptop so it sat half way on both of their laps and the 'careful' passing of Cheetos and Skittles to each other. When one episode became four Oliver called for another glass for himself and another bottle of wine. They managed to polish that one off as well; all the while still pressed against each other's warm side.

Oliver's eyes couldn't help but flicker over to Felicity as they watched. Half of the time she was flinching at something that she knew was already coming and the other she was mouthing the words Mulder and Scully spoke, under her breath. Only occasionally would she look to him to ask him a small question or comment.

When Mulder and Scully entered a large and lavish house, Felicity couldn't help but think of Oliver running around in the Queen Mansions as a child, laughing and playing. For the first time in the episode she pulled her eyes away to look over at Oliver. She was surprised to catch him staring, "It must had been amazing growing up in here."

He was surprised by the comment but answered, "It was. My little sister, Thea, and I…we would always play in the gardens. We liked to pretend that my mom's garden was our own little world. We had the most amazing adventures there. We would play there until it was dark most days. It used to drive my mom crazy. She was always scared that we would get lost or hurt."

"Seems like you had a great family," Felicity supplied, watching Oliver's eyes become a bit distant, the wine loosening him up.

"I did," Oliver whispered, sadness filling the room.

"Oliver…I'm sorry," Felicity said, hating the way that Oliver's face fell at the mere thought of his sister. He had suffered more than anyone ever could or should. Destiny had been cruel with him.

"So am I," Oliver said, sadness lacing his voice.

Not liking what she was seeing and wanting that sadness erased from his face, Felicity blurted out, "I used to eat letter pancakes."

Oliver face shifted slowly into one of amusement, "What?"

"I mean…" Felicity rubbed her forehead, dislodging a lock of hair tucked behind her ear, "I mean, when I was younger the person that I watched X-Files with. I showed it to her, Ms. Watson, and from then on it was 'X' shaped pancakes with enough syrup to make you bounce off the walls."

Oliver chuckled, tucking the lock back behind her ear. She tucked her chin to her chest in embarrassment at her rambling. She looked up in surprise when the fingers only mean for a light touch, trailed down the curve of her cheek.

In that precise moment everything changed.

Oliver's blue eyes weren't just looking at her anymore. They were looking into her. Her breathing hitched as his fingers stopped at the curve of her chin; holding her face in place. He'd never looked at her like that before. With longing. Desire.

He gulped, his lips parting and pupils dilating when a light flush crept over cheeks and the curve of her neck. She'd never looked at him like that before; as if her eyes were pinning him down. She was keeping him there in this moment.

Slowly their bodies leaned into each other, the lines of their bodies already pressed together; making the distance short. This felt right. As if they belonged together in these moments; arguing about their day, forgiving each other, watching a show together, and now…

His eyes moved to her lips when her tongue peeked out to lick them. Felicity's eyes started to slide shut as he curled his fingers and tilted her head up. Their breath fluttered over each others lips and she waited for that moment; proof that they were feeling something new here. Something like nothing felt before.

It never came.

Oliver pulled back from her, shattering the moment.

"I'm going to…put the food away. The ice-cream is done for but I'll put the rest of the wine away," Oliver said in a husky voice, sliding off the bed. He shifted his leg uncomfortably and Felicity kept her eyes on the laptop to hide her confusion and slight disappointment.

She didn't look up as he picked up everything and rushed to the door; leaving them both perplexed and faintly aroused.

* * *

><p>Since arriving at the mansion, Felicity had never cooked her own breakfast, lunch or dinner. In the beginning Sara had brought food to her room; breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She had never left the room and had been kept isolated for the good of all. That had all changed when she had finally accepted the offer to sleep on the opposite side of Oliver's bed. In a way it was her accepting the situation she was really in, trusting that they could do this. From then on Felicity would be brought downstairs to have her meals in the kitchen courtesy of Nicholai with her often-silent companion Sara. It was the same thing when she was at QC or at Verdant except that Diggle or Roy would usually bring her lunch.<p>

This time it was different.

Nicholai had called out sick this morning and wouldn't be returning until tomorrow. This gave Felicity the opportunity to do something she hadn't done in weeks. Cook for herself.

And she was good at it.

Oliver watched from his spot down one of the kitchen hallways. Felicity had managed to pull an impressive spread almost all on her own. Besides Sara cutting up the fruit, Diggle toasting the bread and Roy setting up the plates, Felicity had cooked the rest on her own. Each plate was served up with homemade pumpkin spice pancakes, that made a sad but happy smile bloom on her face, ghosts from her past haunting her. Along with that she served up eggs, bacons, home fries and a side of fruit.

There was this 'bustling' atmosphere going on in the kitchen. As if it had come alive for the first time in years. And it was all centered on the petite blonde who kept on pushing up her glasses up her nose as she measured things in her large mixing bowls. Felicity instructed them on what to do with an ease he had never seen, all the while talking about how she used to cook with her friends and with her old neighbors when she was a child. And they didn't just listen. His guards, his inner circle, his most trusted friends, actually replied to the small pieces she was giving up about herself with a matching one.

Roy gave up how he used to like his bacon a little bit more chewy when he was a kid. Sara gave up how Sundays used to be big breakfast days when her parents were still together. Diggle gave up how he liked his coffee black with the tiniest hint of sugar. And Felicity catalogued it all and made it happen without even being asked.

Oliver continued to watch them silently.

He couldn't deny the fact that there was a smile tugging at the corners of his lips and he couldn't deny that she was changing things. Slowly but surely they were becoming a more grounded team, shifting into a new and more stable position that made him feel like this was the closest thing to a family he'd had in the past 20 years. And damn it all…it made him happy. It made him happy to know that he could still feel like this. That there was still warmth somewhere in there inside that his family had made sure he kept to use again one day.

It also made him scared. It confused him and made him wonder about what would happen if he took a step forward; if he really locked into place with this dynamic that was brewing between his closest allies and Felicity. If he gave himself this chance to be happy, to let her in, he would be vulnerable. And like everything vulnerable in his life, they were prone to attack. He wasn't sure that he could survive it once more.

He watched as Roy, Sara and Diggle were served up by Felicity after they sat at the breakfast nook.

With each moment that he spent with Felicity and with each smile or laugh that they shared, he felt like he was getting closer to the point of no return. Where he couldn't pull back from her sass, fiery nature, or kind smile without it leaving an imprint on him. Yesterday was a prime example of that. They had almost kissed. He was certain of it. And he wanted to do it, not because he was all hot and bothered and wanted to have sex, no…he wanted to do it because it felt like the right thing to do. He felt comfortable laying there with her, reminiscing about the past, and he, Oliver Queen, wanted to sweetly kiss her.

It was a revelation to himself and how things were shifting.

Letting out a sigh, he took a step back. He didn't want to interrupt them.

"Where do you think you're going?" a voice asked from behind him.

He turned to see Felicity standing there with her hands on her hips, a small pout on her face and a hint of flour on her cheek that he wanted to clean off. He was so lost in his thoughts that she had managed to sneak up on him.

He opened his mouth to say something but Felicity cut him off.

"You were leaving, weren't you?" Felicity said, raising an eyebrow as the pout disappeared and was replaced with a teasing look, "After creeping in this hallway and watching us ready breakfast for the last half hour, you're going to leave without a word?"

His lips parted. He didn't know what to say.

"Well come on," Felicity said in a voice that left no room for argument, as she turned and began walking back to the kitchen. When she reached the archway she turned back to him and said, "I made you pancakes in the shape of X's. Can't let them go to waste."

Oliver snorted in amusement to hide the fact that she had seen him and thought of making him a plate. She wanted him to join them. He began walking towards her, lightness to his step, "Of course we can't."

When he took his seat next to her and began to eat with his closest, he wondered if fighting against this new shift and dynamic was of any use. In many ways it already looked like he was past the point of no return.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hope you guys liked this chapter! We're slowly moving into them becoming more intimate for each other and becoming used to being in each other's space. Russia is coming soon and its coming fast! **

**Love,**

**PoisonAngelMuse & TheAlternativeSource**


	9. Behind Blue Eyes

**The Crow Chapter 9 – Behind Blue Eyes**

**Disclaimer:** We own nothing but our plot and our own characters. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to DC Comics and CW Television. All rights over this idea and its concepts belong to us. This work is intended for the private enjoyment of the reader and is not to be shared on any other sites (besides AO3 and FF) or events without our express permission.

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><p><strong>AN: Hi everyone! Thank you all for the amazing support. We love you guys so much! It's been a crazy ride!**

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**Link for The Crow Soundtrack - /lyra-aureus/the-crow-official-soundtrack**

**Enjoy!**

**Music – Behind Blue Eyes by The Who**

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><p>No one knows what it's like<br>To be the bad man  
>To be the sad man<br>Behind blue eyes  
>And no one knows<br>What it's like to be hated  
>To be faded to telling only lies<p>

_But my dreams they aren't as empty__  
><em>_As my conscience seems to be__  
><em>_I have hours, only lonely__  
><em>_My love is vengeance__  
><em>_That's never free_

_No one knows what its like__  
><em>_To feel this feelings__  
><em>_Like I do, and I blame you!__  
><em>_No one bites back as hard__  
><em>_On their anger__  
><em>_None of my pain and woe__  
><em>_Can show through_

_No one knows what its like__  
><em>_To be mistreated, to be defeated__  
><em>_Behind blue eyes__  
><em>_No one know how to say__  
><em>_That they're sorry and don't worry__  
><em>_I'm not telling lies_

_No one knows what its like__  
><em>_To be the bad man, to be the sad man__  
><em>_Behind blue eyes.__  
><em>

* * *

><p>The next week came faster than Felicity expected.<p>

Between training with Sara and working at the foundry to finish Diggle and Roy's devices, time flew by. Throw on top of that the fact that Oliver had started making it back home before she fell asleep and would watch an episode or two of X-Files with her, she barely paid attention. On one memorable occasion they'd even contemplated watching The Hunger Games together but passed it off for Leslie Knope. The little shifts in their dynamic continued. Felicity couldn't help but focus more on the fact that she practically melted back into his…no their pillows as if they'd always done this; side by side, poking light fun at each other in whispers as if someone would break this bubble if they spoke too loud.

Felicity felt like this bubble growing around them was one of comfort & safety mixed with flickers of something she'd caught mere glances of; the man Oliver was. She was under the impression that she had been seeing the man that Oliver could be when he shared with her small tidbits about Thea. But she was wrong. She wasn't seeing the man he could be if Bratva had never come into his life. She was seeing the man he already was despite what had happened to him. The part that he held onto throughout all these years. The part that soothed her when she woke up from nightmares. That was the man she grown to care about.

She'd seen it. And that was the reason why she'd stopped fighting against Russia.

Things with the Triad had to be put on the back burner; how they found them, how to infiltrate their systems, and how they could use the system against them. Part of her wished that Oliver could have made up an excuse. That she was sick or had work to do. But she understood. This wasn't just for her. This wasn't just for Oliver. This was for all of them.

For us.

She would make Anatoly believe that they were in a stable relationship that was full of mutual love and understanding even if her stomach twisted at the thought of being in the same room at him, not to mention lying to the Pakhan of Bratva. But they didn´t had any other choice, did they?

When the day came she didn't even have to pack her own bags. Sara had taken charge of Felicity's bags and had packed them the night before, while Felicity curled up on Oliver's bed. She was nervous and scared about what would happen in the morning and sleep was the only thing to calm her mind since Oliver wasn't home yet and she didn't like the thought of watching something on Netflix alone.

When morning came, Oliver acted like everything was normal. They went on their morning jog. She had breakfast while he dealt with some things in his office. And they ended up getting ready in separate rooms before ending up together in Oliver's room.

"I look like my mother," Felicity blurted out, curling her bare toes into the floor. They were essentially done, Oliver's suitcase on the bed and Felicity's personal items in a small carryon next to his. Like they belonged there, together. Again, a domestic feeling washed over her.

"What?" Oliver asked as he looked at two ties in his hands, trying to decide which to take.

"Right now," Felicity pointed at the image in the mirror in front of her. She was wearing a light colored knit dress that flattered her figure and was without a doubt the most comfortable thing she'd ever worn, "I look like my mother. Maybe not as much makeup, but the hair…the very very blonde hair and the clothes. I look like my mom."

Oliver chose the blue tie before glancing at her. Without a beat he said, "Then she must be beautiful."

Felicity felt her breath catch in her throat and her cheeks flush at the sureness in his voice. She felt a creeping sense of pride at her appearance pull at her. Sure she was getting used to the woman she was seeing in the mirror, the woman she'd been seeing every time she brushed her teeth, showered or caught her reflection in passing. But there was no use in denying that it was nice having someone call her beautiful.

Especially with how handsome he was.

Not so stealthily she watched his movements, how he traced a hand over his incredibly attractive stubble, trying to decide what shirt to pack. He was wearing slacks and a button up, bare feet padding across the floor. She was falling into a new 'dynamic' with this man. Fitting into his world easier than she expected while building a bond that was growing stronger than just a partnership. She saw it and she knew without a doubt that he saw it too. It scared her.

They had almost kissed. And it wasn't a fluke. It wasn't just a trip up. It was them growing closer as people and beginning to trust each other. And now they were putting that trust to the test.

"Shouldn't we have practiced what we're going to say?" Felicity asked, hands fiddling with the neck of her dress. She'd been thinking about this question all morning.

"What do you mean?" Oliver asked back from the walk-in closet. He came back out with socks in his hands.

"What we're going to say to Anatoly? To Raisa? Shouldn't we practice?" she repeated.

He put the socks away, "Do you think we should?"

Felicity's eyes widened as if he could even ask such a thing, "Of course! What if they ask us how we met or what side of the bed we prefer or if we like our coffee with three sugars instead of four?"

Oliver tilted his head at her, "You were an independent consultant working for another company when we met. You made me…smile."

The words didn't sound as strained, as they would have weeks ago. It almost sounded…real.

"And the rest is history?"

Oliver shook his head, "Oh no. You were a fuss, hot headed. Liked trailing mud and water on my carpets." He said with a smirk.

Felicity felt the urge to stick her tongue out at him, "Takes one to know one."

Oliver chuckled lightly as he tucked his hands into his pockets and turned to her. "Now that is exactly why it all happened," Oliver stated, "And as for the other stuff, you sleep on the right side and you like your coffee with enough sugar and milk that it's no longer coffee and just sugar."

Felicity met his eyes in the mirror, a whirl of thoughts following. She didn't think he'd been paying attention to that small bit the times they'd had breakfast together. But apparently Oliver had been watching her as much as she watched him. She…was happy she was wrong.

"Two sugars and a splash of milk," fell from her lips. She felt pleased to know something about such a private man. She felt even more pleased when he looked surprised by her knowing the information, "Your coffee. That's how you like it." She said, making a hint of a smile form on his lips.

"There is one thing we really haven't talked about," Oliver said as he stepped forward, closing the distance between them until he was about two feet behind her. His eyes met hers in the mirror.

She pressed her flat hands against her dress, the look he was giving her made her nervous, like he was seeing more when he looked at her. Like he was seeing through her.

"That is?"

"Touching. It does not matter how much we know about each other if we can't pull off touching. After all, couples are supposed to be comfortable touching each other. It should be as natural as breathing."

Felicity felt her stomach clench, "And you bring this up now? We could have been touching days ago." She said exasperated.

Oliver raised an eyebrow and Felicity rubbed her temples, chuckling lightly, "Sorry. My mind and my mouth sometimes don't work together. You were saying?"

The corner of his mouth lifted in a small and amused smile as he lifted a hand and placed it on the curve of her waist. Her breath hitched as he stepped even closer, "Just small touches. Like that first night at the club."

They both remembered that night. They had fallen into each other, bodies folded together as they laughed. To an outsider it must have looked impossible. The Crow had actually laughed with her, body relaxed as they swayed gently.

He gave her a questioning look and she nodded. Oliver closed the distance between them, his warm chest pressing against her back and his other hand coming up to rest on her other hip. He leaned forward and hooked his chin over shoulder.

"See, easy," Oliver muttered, warm breath fluttering over her skin.

Both were quiet for a second as they took in the picture they painted. A month ago, when she still was black haired and angry, they wouldn't have clicked. Wouldn't have fallen into place as much. And even with the changes in her appearance she wouldn't have seen them clicking. Now things were different. They looked relaxed and in place no matter how nervous they felt inside. They fit together.

It scared her.

It scared him.

Still holding her he began to speak, "I will be colder in Russia. More calculating and distant. Watching Anatoly. Watching everyone. It's expected. They expect The Crow."

She placed a hand on her stomach and he slid his hand around and off her waist to slip under her hand, fingers slotting into place, another test to check their level of comfort with each other.

It was easy.

"Understandable," Felicity answered, voice a bit thick.

"Anatoly will test me. He will test you. He will test us," Oliver explained, thinking over all the possibilities and situations they could get into, "I need you to follow my lead and remember that you are mine as much as I am yours."

Felicity bit her lip, secretly loving the use of the word 'yours'. The pull between them grew as he relaxed against her.

"I have another thing for you," Oliver said, eyes flickering down hesitantly before he removed the hand on her hip and pulled something out of it. He held it in front of Felicity.

It was a pearl necklace. Like the earrings that he had made her wear before, they looked expensive.

"You want me to wear…that?" she said as he pulled back a bit and unclasped the necklace. She lifted her hair out of the way and he laid it around her neck, closing the clasp back up.

He paused at the sight of the pearl necklace around her neck. Years of training and concentration stopped him from tearing up at the sight of them around her pale neck, "They were my mothers."

She gasped, hand coming up to hesitantly touch it, "Oliver. I can't wear this."

He slid back into place behind her, hands wavering on her hips before coming around and lacing together on her stomach. The touch felt intimate and she felt like the room's temperature had shot up, "I want you to wear them."

"Because Anatoly would see it as a sign of how important our relationship is?" Felicity asked cautiously, placing her hands over the ones causing her stomach to flutter and breath to catch.

Oliver's brilliant blue eyes captured hers one more time, a coldness lingering in them of things from his past, "Because I want you to wear them."

There was firmness in his voice; a calm nature that was hiding a storm inside Oliver. He was glad when she nodded and let it rest for the moment. This was a big step for both of them. Russia would test them and him giving her, his mother's necklace, was something not to be discussed yet.

"Do you want to play 20 questions?" he asked unexpectedly, breaking the growing tension between them.

Felicity relaxed back into him in surprise, face relaxing, "What? Really?"

She felt his shrug, "Get a little practice with the 'touching' and get to know more things about each other just in case."

He was giving her an opening to move past the heaviness that weighed them both down. She took it.

Tilting her head back against him, she pursed her lips for a second, thinking of a question, "Ok. My turn first."

Oliver snorted. He remembered the shift he'd felt between them the first time they'd done this, "Isn't it my turn?"

She didn't comment on how he had even remembered that. That night had been shocking.

"You're right," she muttered as he settled his head against hers, stubble scratching her skin lightly and making her stomach do somersaults. This felt right, "It is your turn. Fire away."

His mind went back to the first day he met her, when he went through her things while trying to figure her out, the small stack of comics he'd found inside.

"Ok, I got it. Fastest man alive. The Flash or Superman?"

Neither noticed when Sara peeked into the room 20 minutes later to give them a thirty-minute warning before they left. Both were too absorbed in learning everything they could about each other. One silly question at a time.

* * *

><p>The flight to Russia was shorter than she expected.<p>

Never being on a flight so long, she'd been nervous. But Oliver, Roy and Sara had seemed to catch on to her fear and kept the conversation light until she felt her eyes begin to droop. After a short nap Oliver had spent the rest of the flight telling her small things about the man that they would be meeting and why it was necessary for Diggle to stay behind and make sure everything stayed the same. Everything he told her made her even more anxious to meet the cold and calculating Anatoly.

But it wasn't all bad. Oliver also told her about Raisa, his surrogate mother of sorts. He was content when he spoke of her. Truly happy. He held the same reverence for his best friend, Slade. He would be the one picking them up from the airstrip and she could see how excited he was, no matter how much he tried to dull it down.

This was a trip to assure that Anatoly believed their ruse. But this was also a trip where Oliver got to see his family again, no matter how small it was, it was his family. And he was including her in this.

When they finally landed, plane pumping lightly on the strip, she felt some of the tension at flying, being replaced by the tension of actually meeting other members of Bratva; high ranking members.

None of them spoke as the plane pulled off to the side of the strip and a SUV approached them. Roy and Sara began collecting their luggage as Oliver helped her into a thick coat.

"Do you trust me?" Oliver asked in a whisper that Felicity almost missed.

He looked as apprehensive as she felt as he buttoned up the front of her coat. She could only nod.

Oliver pinned her with a probing look, before nodding and leading her off the plane. Her eyes didn't focus on the imposing figure Oliver made as they descended the small flight of stairs. Her eyes didn't focus on the open space around them, the tall pine trees or the shining black SUV next to them. No, her eyes focused on the man approaching them.

Oliver released his hold on her he hugged the dark, tall and muscular looking man.

"Slade, it's been too long," Oliver greeted, patting his back before pulling away. He'd missed the man greatly, "You're getting old."

Slade sniggered, "And I see your jokes haven't gotten better, Kid."

Oliver laughed lightly before turning to Felicity and ushering her forward. "Slade, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend," the words fell off Oliver's lips easily, "Felicity Smoak."

Slade didn't give her a once over like she expected. Neither did he question why she was here with an icy look to match. He just held out his hand and inclined his head slightly, "Ms. Smoak. It's lovely to meet you."

Felicity pushed her slipping glasses back up her nose before taking his hand and shaking it, "Likewise. But please call me Felicity."

"As long as you call me Slade," he replied as he steered them to the SUV where Roy and Sara were already putting things away.

"Ok, its nice to meet you Slade," Felicity said as Sara took her bag. She let Felicity keep her purse.

"Now let's get you all out of the cold," Slade said quickly, hands rubbing together before he hopped into the drivers seat. Oliver pressed a kiss to her temple before helping her into the back seat between Roy and Sara.

Then they were off.

The ride to the estate owned by Anatoly took them almost forty-five minutes. The winding & heavily forest lined road was empty; the wind howling outside. And as the sunset hit the horizon, Felicity could feel her nerves really start to get to her. She had spent the entire flight trying to convince herself that it would all be ok; that she and Oliver would be able to pull this off. But right now, she wasn't so sure.

She was terrified.

Oliver and Slade had fallen into an easy conversation in the front seat, and even though she couldn't understand a word they were saying as they spoke in Russian – a regular occurrence every time he dealt with Bratva business in front of her – he looked strangely relaxed. Like Oliver felt he could let go for a second, because Slade Wilson was there. The older man, that had eyes filled with sadness, seemed to be a safe shore for Oliver.

He had thawed during the time that they had spent together. But this was something entirely different.

With Roy and Sara silently flanking her she spent the drive silently freaking out while scrolling through some line lines of code on her tablet. She thought of Oliver's words when he explained what was expected of them and what would happen. She could do this…no matter how unsettled she felt.

The forest began thinning and they turned down a road with a tall and elegant looking iron gate at the end of it; tall and dark moss covered brick walls started out from it. Two tall pine trees flanked the gates, along with two posts that lit the path with its lanterns.

Slade slid his car window down, his hands moving over the keypad tucked into a nook in the dark stone. Almost immediately a voice on the other side of the intercom spoke something in Russian, which Slade responded to it with his own bit of Russian. Only then did Felicity realize that the gate had cameras blended to hide among the stone and pine trees; top of the line tech.

This was Bratva.

A few seconds later, the gates started to open for them and Slade started the car again. They rode through a finely gravel road, sheltered by lines of trees that looked as old as time.

Felicity looked through the glass, eyes wide with curiosity, watching how the night descended on the estate. Then she saw it. A chill ran down her spine and she pulled her coat closer to her body. She was so distracted that she didn't see Oliver glancing back at her, gauging her reaction.

The dark brick mansion was enormous, old and imposing. It was built in the middle of the state and framed by perfectly trimmed gardens. It was three stories and had an array of lit windows and chimneys. When they rounded the front driveway she caught sight of the large dark double doors that lead inside.

This was it.

Slade turned off the car in front of the main entrance. "Welcome to the Knyazev estate, Felicity," Slade said, his eyes meeting Felicity's in the rear view mirror before he stepped out and opened the door on Roy's side and Oliver opened the door on Sara's side. He exited the car first and when Felicity slid down the seat to exit a hand appeared by her face. She took it without hesitation and was pulled close by Oliver; who had come around the car.

A touch of relief washed over them both at the proximity.

"Are you ready for this?" Oliver asked her, whispering the words in her ear, as he held tight to her hand. They both saw the line that they were about to cross. The danger they were about to enter.

"I think so," she said, her voice shaking.

Oliver pumped his nose against Felicity's temple, "Try to relax. I promise you I won't let anything happen to you, ok?"

She closed her eyes, letting out an exhale. She could do this.

"Ok," she agreed, nodding. He pressed one last kiss to her cheek before pulling away.

"Let's go," Oliver said, tucking her hand into the bend of his arm and walking around the car towards Slade, Sara, and Roy. They were standing by the door.

Felicity ran her eyes on the large stone staircase that lead to the front door. The large columns next to the door made the place look even older and more sinister.

"This place isn't haunted, is it?" she blurted out without thinking.

"No," Oliver said, a small laugh leaving him.

"Are you sure? Cause it sure as hell looks haunted," she hissed almost playfully, pulling her coat closer to her body, and in turn bringing Oliver closer to her.

"Only by all the souls that live here," Slade joked, making Felicity's mouth drop open. He immediately tried to take his words back at Oliver's pointed look, "I'm kidding."

"You guys have the worse sense of humor," she said, feeling her nerves creeping back up.

"Hey, you don't need to be worried," Oliver said loud enough for the others to hear, patting the hand tucked into his arm.

"I'm not," she lied.

He raised a brow, "Really?"

"Ok, maybe a little. It's not every day that you fly to Russia to meet your boyfriends family, whose uncle is also the leader of a powerful organization. I'm just peachy," she said with the least reassuring laugh, and Oliver knew that she was trying to mask her fear with humor so Slade would not see it.

"They are going to adore you," he assured her.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I do."

The declaration made her look up sharply. Before she could ask, Slade interrupted them.

"Come on, love birds. Your uncle is waiting, and we both know he isn't the most patient man," Slade said, pushing the double doors open and stepping through. Oliver placed his other hand against the one holding onto his arm and followed Slade. Roy and Sara followed behind them with their bags.

Felicity's grip on Oliver tightened as they stepped inside. They walked into the expansive foyer. The antique house had light colored marble floors and a high ceiling, with antique paintings adorning the walls. The house had an aged feeling that was as scary as it was charming. Things had happened here; horrifying and terrifying things that had helped to shape the man that stood close to her. She didn't want to be in this place. And from the way that Oliver's jaw clenched and his stance hardened, she knew he didn't want to be there either.

Two men dressed in black suits walked up to Sara and Roy, helped with some of the luggage and led them away. They were all tense, quiet, colder here. Felicity and Oliver missed the easy-going conversation and light nature that had persisted during their flight at that moment.

Slade also left them there, saying that he had something's to look into, and would catch up with them later.

Oliver held tightly onto her hand, bringing her body as close as possible to his as they walked further into the house, her high heels echoing in the room. In here he was not the man she'd gotten to know over the past couple of weeks, in here he wasn't the Oliver Queen that could be playful and sweet, that helped her face her fears and would sooth her nightmares away. In here he was The Crow.

"_Oh, my boy," _a feminine voice said as rushed steps could be heard. A dark haired woman in her late sixties rushed towards them. She was elegantly dressed, her beautiful blue eyes filled with motherly affection as she approached them. Oliver's grip on her loosened as the woman reached them and pulled him into a hug. "_Oh, my beautiful boy_," she said again, as Oliver wrapped his arms around her.

"_Raisa,"_ he whispered in a thick tone as he buried his face against her hair. He held her tight, as tears filled her eyes.

"_Ollie, I missed you so much,"_ she whispered, hugging him tighter.

"_I missed you too_," he said as he softly pulled away from her hug and turned towards Felicity, _"Raisa, this is my girlfriend, Felicity."_

"_Felicity, what a lovely name," _she said with a large smile, as she nodded proudly of Oliver's choice.

Raisa's eyes looked at her expectantly and Felicity shifted in place,"I'm sorry? I don't speak Russian."

"I apologize," Raisa said in English, making Felicity feel relieved. She held out her hand, "I'm Raisa Knyazev, Oliver's aunt."

"It's so nice to meet you," Felicity said, shaking her hand. Raisa had the same warmth and love in her eyes that Mrs. Watson used to have and Felicity understood why Oliver reacted so strongly to the older woman. She liked her almost immediately and hoped the woman would like her too.

"I have been waiting so long for this moment," Raisa commented brightly, "You are the first woman that Oliver has ever brought for us to meet."

"Oh," Felicity said, blushing and glancing at Oliver quickly. His eyes were looking at her with a surprising amount of warmth and admiration.

"That's because she was the only one worth it," Oliver said, setting his hand on her lower back, his voice filled with warmth. She ducked her head for a second, a ghost of a grin on her lips.

Raisa held her hands in front of her and looked at them as if they'd given her the greatest gift. If this is what it took to play the part then Felicity had less to worry about than she expected.

"That's good to know," Anatoly called out as he appeared in the foyer and walked towards them. The leader of the Solntsevskaya _Bratva was exactly how Felicity pictured him: cold, controlled, with empty eyes and a fake smile to match his greying hair and thin frame. "Ollie, my boy," Anatoly said, shaking Oliver's hand._

_"Uncle," Oliver said, the respect clear in his voice._

_"So, this is the woman that stole my nephews heart," Anatoly said, moving to stand much closer to Felicity than she would had liked. He held out his hand. When she reached out to shake it he brought her hand to his lips. He pressed a kiss on her knuckles and she resisted yanking her hand back, "Enchanted, Ms. Smoak."_

_"It's very nice to meet you, Mr._ Knyazev," Felicity said with a small but happy smile, playing her part as Oliver's innocent and sweet girlfriend.

"Please, call me Anatoly. After all, you are part of the family now," Anatoly said, his eyes flicking over her and something in his tone set Oliver off, as he held even tighter onto her, "I hope you two had a pleasant journey."

"Yes, thank you," Oliver said shortly. He felt like it was a blast from the past being here. The darkness that was part of this home edging towards him and Felicity. He didn't want Felicity here.

"You must be exhausted. It's such a long flight," Raisa said, as she quickly moved to Felicity's side, taking one of her arms in hers, "I am sure you two would like to rest."

"It would be nice to fresh up," Felicity agreed, while Oliver nodded in agreement.

Raisa beamed, "Then come, I will show your room."

Anatoly beckoned them forward, "A 'special' room for you two."

"We won't stay in my old bedroom?" Oliver asked her.

"No, darling. There were some plumbing problems and we had to renovate the room. It's not finished yet, sadly," Raisa explained, "But I think you will like the room that I set for you and your Felicity."

Anatoly led them through the foyer, and towards a large and elegant staircase made of stone that led to the second floor. Oliver placed a reassuring hand on Felicity's lower back; an anchor for him as much as it was for her. Raisa still had Felicity's arm and kept chatting excitedly about the nice weather they were having even though winter was coming. And although Felicity listened and nodded along, she couldn't focus enough to give her more than a simple 'yes' or 'no'. Even though Anatoly had his back to them, the tension between Oliver and Anatoly was palpable. Oliver's eyes traced Anatoly's figure – it kept her focus on Oliver and the hand on her lower back.

Felicity knew the kind of man Anatoly Knyazev was. Oliver had stressed what kind of man he was during the plane ride; Roy and Sara sitting to the side quietly. He was ruthless, cold and extremely intelligent. He had evaded Interpol for the past twenty years, using all his resources to hide behind the facet of being a legit business and family man. But what kind of monster would take a young child, someone he considered as his own son, and turn him into someone so dark and broken? How could he put Oliver on the dark path that he was on today? How could he do that to someone he considered a son?

Anatoly was a liar, a thief and a murderer. He was exactly the kind of person she swore she would help the world get rid of. He was everything she despised and in part what led her here; pretending to be his nephew's girlfriend, pretending to be someone she wasn't. Between all the crimes that Anatoly committed, between all the evil he caused, she couldn't stop thinking about the young boy that he had ruined. To Felicity, that was an unforgivable act.

"Here we are," Raisa said cheerfully, as she opened the large double doors that lead to an opulent looking bedroom.

Felicity instantly dubbed it as the 'The Golden Bedroom'. From the carpet to the warm colored walls, to the light wooden canopy bed, to the drapes; it all had small touches of gold. It was cheesy and it screamed opulence, and she detested it. It was much more than a fashion statement, it represented everything she was not, and everything she despised.

Oliver had never been to this room, this side of the mansion. It was dedicated to people that were visiting the home. In particular, people that were esteemed guests…people that needed to be watched. As much as he was happy to see Raisa, he wanted her to leave, so he could check the room. Make it safe for them.

The fireplace was on, and while it wasn't that cold yet, the heat made Felicity feel better. But, it took only one look at Oliver's tense pose for her to know that something was really wrong.

"I hope you two will enjoy the room. There are clean towels in the bathroom," Raisa said with a large smile as she pointed over to the left, where a door was ajar. Anatoly stood unmoving, observing their every move. Raisa came over to Anatoly's side, "We will let you two get settled. We can all get to know each other better later."

"That's true. We can talk more during dinner," Anatoly said with finality, his eyes tracing over the small distance between them.

Oliver tucked her closer to his side, a hand curling over her shoulder. Felicity tipped her head closer to him, "Of course, uncle."

"We can discuss business later," Anatoly said to Oliver, softly touching Raisa elbow. "Let's leave the kids to it, Rai," he said with fondness, his voice hinting at what a young couple like them could be doing in a room like this. Felicity felt her cheeks burn and Oliver's grip on her shoulder tightened slightly.

"Of course. Dinner will be served at 8 o'clock," Raisa said to both of them as they walked to the door.

"We will be there," Oliver assured with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. With a final goodbye Anatoly and Raisa left them.

As Oliver closed the door, he finally let go a large breath – that he'd probably been holding ever since they had stepped inside the mansion.

He didn't see that Felicity had done the same thing.

* * *

><p>Oliver locked the door and pulled out the gun he held inside his jacket. He gripped it to his side, ready and steady. Felicity's eyes followed him as he moved from one corner to the other, scanning every surface, every corner, every window. He had a cold look on his face, and the silence was overwhelming, making Felicity shiver despite the warm heat coming from the fireplace. It was as bad as the first time she saw him that night she invaded the Queen mansion. He was in The Crow mode and she hated it. She hated the icy and disconnected look in his eyes. That wasn't the Oliver she'd gotten to know recently.<p>

This version of him scared her.

Felicity sat down on the large bed, staring at him as he did a thorough search, waiting for him to finish, as she tried to understand what the hell was going on. He looked like a caged animal.

"Fuck," she heard him curse under his breath, his fingers coming up to touch the top of the fireplace.

"What?" she asked him, anxious, not understanding the fuss.

Oliver didn't answer right away. His shoulders were tense. He stood unmoving for a few seconds, staring at the fireplace. He turned to look at her.

Keeping a straight face that gave nothing away, he moved towards her; a determined look in his eyes. He stopped right in front of her, his hands coming up to cup her face. Her breath caught in her throat as he ducked down slightly while his thumbs moved over her cheeks.

She dared not move, "Oliver?"

He moved slowly, his lips coming down to almost brush against her earlobe. She swallowed down a lump of worry and desire.

"We're being watched," he revealed, trailing one hand down to the pearl necklace he asked her to wear during the trip.

"What?" she asked in a shaky voice, half confused and half on the edge. It was overwhelming to feel Oliver this close to her. The smell of his cologne, mixed with the gentle way he touched her, were sending her senses into overdrive.

She knew something like this would happen sooner or later. She just hadn't realized it would be sooner.

"There is a camera in the stones above the fireplace. Anatoly is most likely watching us. He doesn't believe our story nor trusts us," Oliver murmured, hands trailing down to settle on her shoulders. He nudged her towards him and she stood. He didn't move away so she ended up pressed up against him.

"Oh God," she said, terrified of what that meant. Anatoly was onto them. She thought they'd been doing fine with their warm smiles and close proximity. Apparently it wasn't close enough. If they didn't prove him wrong, he would figure out their plan, and he would kill them both. They would be damned.

"We'll be ok," he promised, his hands now moving down to her waist. "I guess we will need to keep 'this' going in here too. I'm sorry," he whispered, feeling her trembling body. "I promise you we will be ok. I won't let anything happen to you."

"Oliver," she said, her voice raspy, as her arms came up to grip his coat clad back. She was frightened, but at the same time, she knew that Oliver would do everything in his power to keep her safe. He had kept his promise so far. She trusted him more than anyone else.

"I don't think the camera has sound, and if it does, my watch is screwing with their frequency – thanks to you," he said, his voice filled with a hint of pride, his lips moving down to her neck. He felt her breathing pick up as his hands parted her coat and settled on her hips once more; his fingers dancing over the cream knit dress.

"So they can't hear us? Won't they suspect something?" she said as she tilted her head to the side, allowing him to run the tip of his nose up the curve of her neck. She closed her eyes at the delicate touch.

"Maybe, but Anatoly wouldn't dare try to get in the room while we're staying here. He knows that I would suspect something if I caught him. So far, its just suspicions. That's what the camera is for. That's what this room is for."

"So we need to prove him wrong then," Felicity stated as she moved her hands up to rest on his shoulders, fingers lacing through the hair at the nape of his neck.

Oliver tried to not think about how much he enjoyed the feel of her hands moving against his body, her nails scratching this scalp. But it was impossible to deny it. She made him feel things he knew he shouldn't. She made him lose all focus.

Felicity softly moved his face away from her neck, as their eyes meet halfway. She'd made a decision and he knew it.

"Felicity," he whispered, pleading in his voice. He knew what she was about to do. It was what he had been thinking about nonstop ever since he saw her smile at him for the first time. What he desperately wanted to do that night while they sat down watching the X-files together. What he knew he shouldn't allow to happen, cause he knew that if it did, he would be forever lost. There would be no turning back.

Neither wanted it to happen like this but he knew that it had too.

"Don't think," she softly said as her fingertips slid forward to caress the stubble on his cheeks. He gasped, relishing the gentle touch. She caught his eyes, "You trust me?"

Oliver answered truthfully, "Yes."

The word warmed something deep inside of her.

And that's all it took. She pulled him down while she stood up on her tippy toes. Her lips gently brushing against his.

It was like seeing the sun for the first time.

He could feel small threads of warmth all over his body; small sparks running from the tip of his lips down to his toes. Everything stopped and he couldn't breathe.

It was everything.

Oliver stood frozen, his hands holding tightly onto her waist as she pressed her lips against his own. No one had kissed him like this before; warm and trusting. He felt his heartbeat begin to race and he could feel his hands trembling against her back. It was overwhelming.

She seemed to find his reaction an act of rejection when he didn't move. Maybe he didn't feel the spark she did when she pressed her lips to his. Maybe this was a mistake. She was a second from pulling away when he finally responded. He moved his hands to her face, gently holding her pale cheeks as he finally allowed himself to enjoy this moment.

They lost themselves in each other almost instantly.

The kiss was soft with an edge to it that spoke of the intimacy they had gained with each other. Their lips brushed against each other languidly; slowly turning harder, more desperate. Felicity couldn't help but think that it'd been too long since someone kissed her like this. A kiss that curled her toes when he closed his teeth gently on her lower lip. A kiss that made her whimper and press her body impossibly close to him.

Oliver took it all in stride.

He could feel her elevated breathing, the way she held him tight against her. He could feel how their bodies molded perfectly against each other, and how natural it felt having her in his arms. He wanted to be here. Suddenly he realized that the reason why no other woman felt like this was because they weren't her. They weren't Felicity.

And he wanted her. He wanted her like he'd never wanted anything in his life. She was more. So much more.

He didn't know if she meant it, but she could feel something different in her kiss. A promise of a life with her, a life filled with joy, warmth and safety. She made him feel alive; parts of him becoming whole with her there. Things coming to light that he'd thought he'd lost.

Before he could lose himself anymore in his thoughts or her touch, she softly pushed him away, her lips leaving his with a small gasp.

They stood staring to each other for a few seconds, and Oliver knew she could see the tumble of emotions ragging inside of him. He knew she could see how much that small moment meant to him, even though they both knew it shouldn't. This was dangerous.

The same look was reflected in her eyes.

"Felicity," Oliver began delicately, his knuckles coming up to cross one of her cheeks. Her eyes closed in response, the touch combined with the kiss overwhelming her.

She felt it too. He knew she had.

"I…I better take a shower. We need to get ready for dinner," she said calmly, removing her hold on him and starting to edge around him. His hand caught hers.

"Felicity," Oliver begged, the blast of emotion stripping him of his protective walls. He was bare and vulnerable. Open to her. And he wanted to talk about it. He felt like they needed too.

She brought his hand up to her mouth and pressed a kiss across his knuckles, laying another promise there. "We can talk about it later. Just let it go for now, please," she said in a quivering voice.

He saw the conflict in her eyes, her need to escape and figure this out. There was no trace of regret. He released her.

She gave him a small smile in thanks, before backing away and disappearing inside the bathroom; leaving Oliver to deal with the overwhelming emotions that were crashing over him, alone.

He stared at the door. On the other side of that door was a woman who he wanted even thought he shouldn't. A woman who had the power to ruin him. And the crazy part is that he had been fighting something that was useless.

She already had the power. One simple kiss was proof of that.

* * *

><p>Oliver and Felicity took turns in the bathroom, and while he moved to finish dressing himself in the bedroom, she stayed in the bathroom doing her hair and makeup. They worked in silence, not mentioning the elephant in the room. As Oliver worked on the knot his tie, Felicity walked out of the bathroom, dressed in a blue dress with yellow flowers that fell down her knees, yellow peep toes and the pearl necklace on. Her hair was loose and curly. She looked stunning.<p>

"You look beautiful," Oliver complimented as she walked past him.

"Thank you," she replied, genuinely happy at the compliment, smoothing out her dress in front of the mirror before turning to him and stepping forward. She signaled to his tie with her eyes and he nodded silently. Her hands came up to help him finish tying it.

They stood in silence one more time as she worked on the knot. When she was done their eyes fixed on each other, a silent conversation happening between them. Felicity smoothed out his tie and the corner of her mouth lifted. Oliver felt his shoulders relax at the easy gesture. He knew they would be ok at that moment. Even though he hated not working this out right away, he knew he needed to be patient.

He lifted a hand and tugged affectionately on a curl. Her shoulders relaxed at the acceptance to put the conversation on the back burner for now.

"Are you ready?" Oliver asked her, and she knew he was asking about more than if she was done getting dressed up.

"As I'll ever be," she said in a cheerful tone, trying to look brave.

Oliver offered her his hand, "Ok, let's go then."

Her hand latched onto his like a lifeline. They would be each other's anchor tonight.

They walked hand in hand through the halls of the second floor and down the stone staircase. When they reached the landing they found themselves face to face with Slade and a woman that Oliver would rather never see again; besides Helena, that is.

"Ms. Smoak. You're looking lovely," Slade commented with a charming smile.

"Thank you Slade. And please, call me Felicity."

"Only if you continue to call me Slade, Mr. Wilson makes me feel old."

"Of course," she said pleasantly, as Oliver held tight to her hand, almost a little too tight. She looked at him in silent shock and caught the tail end of Slade smirking at Oliver's reaction. Apparently Slade had a penchant for teasing Oliver.

"Hmmm interesting," the tall brunette woman murmured, making all eyes turn to her, and Oliver to look particularly irritated.

The woman was dressed impeccably in an elegant red dress and high heels. She had long pitch-black hair and dark green eyes. She would be utterly breathtaking if it wasn't for the cold and arrogant air around her. She was the complete opposite of the charming Slade Wilson.

Slade sensing the stiffness in the air was quick to introduce the woman in red. "Felicity, this is my fiancé, Isabel Rochev," Slade said, making Oliver pale with the news. He'd had no clue.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Felicity said, offering her hand to Isabel to shake.

The older woman looked at the offered hand for a second, almost as if she didn't believe that Felicity deserved to shake her hand, but with one hard stare from Oliver she gave her hand a quick handshake, exposing her gigantic marquise shaped diamond engagement ring. It was a vintage looking piece, the large diamond surrounded by small rubies and diamonds. It was elegant and clearly more expensive than anything Felicity owned or would ever own.

"Likewise," Isabel said tersely, her eyes observing Felicity as if looking for faults.

"Isabel," Oliver said shortly and Felicity fought the instinct to bristle like a cat at the woman's behavior. Instead she continued looking and acting pleasant.

"Captain," Isabel replied coldly, and you didn't have to be a genius to figure out that Isabel and Oliver nourished a mutual hate for each other.

"I suppose congratulations are in order, then," Oliver said gruffly, clearly not pleased with the news.

"Thank you," Isabel said with a large smile that looked creepy to Felicity's eyes.

"Oliver," Slade began cautiously and the two men had some weird kind of silent conversation. When they were done Oliver looked away with a growl, a sign that he wasn't going to cause or edge on Slade's fiancée. Oliver didn't make any further comment on the matter.

"Darling, we have to go," Isabel said, softly touching Slade's chest. It was strange not seeing any affection in Slade's eyes as he looked at his fiancée, "We will lose our reservations if we don't leave now."

"Yes, the reservations," Slade said in agreement, "Would you two like to join us?"

"No, we are having dinner with my uncle and Raisa," Oliver answered, letting go of Felicity's hand and moving it to the small of Felicity's back.

"Oh, you should go then. We both know your uncle hate delays," Slade said, before leading Isabel away without another word to Oliver or Felicity. They watched as the couple put on their coats.

"I'm well aware. I hope you two will have a pleasant evening," Oliver said with finality, as both parties parted ways, and Oliver led Felicity through another hallway and towards the dining room.

"That was a walk in the park," Felicity said sarcastically, trying to lift the tension in the air. It didn't work. Oliver remained cool and collected, "Who the hell is that femme fatale and why were you throwing eye daggers at each other?"

"That woman is the devil incarnate. She is dangerous. Stay away from her," Oliver warned her, memories rushing to him at how unpleasant she was.

"It's not like we're going to become knitting BFFs or something, Oliver," she blurted out, making Oliver smirk and forget his anger. Felicity felt warmth blossom in her chest at making him be something other than cool and collected.

"Good."

"You didn't answer my question though," Felicity noted.

"Let's just say that we had some disagreements a few years ago. And ever since then she hasn't been my biggest fan."

Felicity doubted that the explanation was that easy. "What did you do? Sleep with her and never call her back," Felicity said, joking, until she realized that the joke was on her, "Oh my God, you did sleep with her and never called back."

"It didn't mean anything," he said with a shrug, glancing at her and catching her face twisting a bit. She was jealous.

"Now with an attitude like that no wonder she was pissed," Felicity teased, voice laced with sarcasm as she tried to get herself back on track. She shouldn't be jealous of Isabel. He had slept with her and dropped her. If their kiss was any indication, that wouldn't be Felicity.

Oliver ran his hand up her back, "I never particularly enjoyed her company. She was the one responsible for the Bratva business at QC while I was still in Russia. When I got back, she wasn't too excited at the change in management. I couldn't have her putting my authority in question."

Felicity looked at him in disbelief, "So you decided to sleep with her? Just like that?"

"I pretended to be under her spell so that she would make the process easier. I learned all that there was to learn, while pretending I did not want to remove her from her position. Sex was part of the play. So yes, I did sleep with her to get what I wanted. When that was all set I demanded her to be sent back to Russia. After all, I didn't need a babysitter watching all my steps to see if I did my job right."

"That's cold," she said, clearly disturbed by what he was telling her. She was abruptly reminded of the man she had met that day in the library. It wasn't the same man that had kissed her earlier; the one that held her so tenderly against him.

"I never said I wasn't," Oliver said, turning down another hallway and finally spotting the dining room door, "Let's get this show on the road, shall we."

* * *

><p>It didn't take long before they were seated for the questions to start.<p>

"So Ms. Smoak, tell me a little bit about yourself," Anatoly asked, grinning at her like the cat who caught the canary.

"Felicity. You can just call me Felicity," she corrected as a bowl of hot borsch was placed in front of her by a small dark haired maid.

Anatoly nodded, waiting a sec until they all had a bowl and some rye bread, "Ok, Felicity. About yourself? Family? Friends? Career?"

"Well the only family I have left is my mom, but we don't talk much. As for friends," Felicity's voice trailed off a bit, thinking about her lost friends. Oliver took that moment to move his hand over the one on her lap. She turned it slowly, lacing her fingers with his and using it as an anchor, "I don't have many friends either. Work keeps me pretty busy. Don't have much time to socialize. And any free time I have I spend it with Oliver."

Anatoly looked at Oliver as he cataloged all of this information, before settling once more on Felicity, "Oh is that so? Is that why you moved into the mansion?"

Felicity nodded but didn't reply, at a loss of words at the eager and cold expression on Anatoly's face. She didn't know a combination like that existed. Oliver saw her struggle and saved her.

"That's exactly why. I wanted to spend more time with her. Best decision I've made in ages," Oliver answered contentedly.

"And we're glad you did," Raisa agreed. She turned her eyes to Anatoly, voice a bit challenging, "Don't we?"

"Yes. We're glad that you've found each other," Anatoly agreed, his mouth curling down as if he hadn't been cornered by his sister's words.

The questions stopped for a couple minutes as they began to eat.

Felicity moaned at the first spoonful, looking at Oliver, "This is delicious. Who made this?"

"That would be me," Raisa answered proudly, "Made it just the way Oliver liked it since he was a kid."

Oliver smiled, remembering his first years here, before he began pulling away and falling into the Bratva world, "It was always the best thing on cold days like today."

Felicity ate another spoonful, "He's right. It's wonderful."

"We'll make sure that Raisa writes down the recipe before you leave then," Anatoly said with a tight smile, eyes seemingly looking right through them. He wasn't saying as much as Oliver expected but he was saying enough.

Oliver returned the tight smile. They weren't selling it enough.

He turned to Felicity and caught her attention by tugging her hand lightly. She turned her head to look at him and he hoped his eyes conveyed what his mouth couldn't, "Would you do that for me?"

She caught on and beamed at him, small crinkles appearing at the corners of her eyes, "Of course. I'd do anything for you. Especially if it meant having a part of family back at the mansion."

His grin turned into a real smile at the word 'family'. He wasn't sure if her use of the word was for Anatoly's benefit or…his. He let a small part of him wish it was for him.

"Thank you."

Felicity turned her body slightly towards him and placed her other hand on top of his. The way he gripped her fingers made her feel safe and comforted. He relaxed, "You're welcome."

Raisa cooed on the other side of the table and the moment was broken.

They turned back into place but Felicity didn't let go of his hand, holding it in her lap. Raisa was looking at them as a proud mother would and Oliver's chest tightened at the reminder of who was missing. Anatoly on the other hand was looking at them with the smallest look of surprise on her face.

They were back on track.

When the borsch was finished, bread was passed around to cleanse their palates before dessert was brought out.

Anatoly seemed to want to try to figure out Felicity and Oliver's relationship again, "So Felicity. Oliver has told me you are special. Special enough to wear those pearls, which if I'm not mistaken, belonged to Moira. Also special enough to live in a Bratva home with a Captain. How do you feel about being with a Bratva Captain?" He threw Oliver a pointed look after as if to warn him off, to let Felicity answer.

They both readied themselves and tried not to shift in place. They were a united front.

"Well…," Felicity began hesitantly, glancing at Oliver's stone walled face to look back at Anatoly. She couldn't take her eyes of him. If this would work she had to act smitten with Oliver, "I'm not the one who's special. Oliver is."

Oliver eyes moved over to watch Felicity's side profile. This wasn't what he expected her to say at all. He noted the gentle slope of her nose as she spoke calmly but more confidently than he'd seen all day.

"I love and accept every part of Oliver. All of it has made him into the man he is today and I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Even the part of him that is The Crow?" Anatoly asked, steeping his fingers together and placing his elbows on the table as if he'd found the most interesting thing, "You know I gave him that nickname because he kept escaping death."

Felicity didn't back down. She kept steady and Oliver etched this moment out in his mind, "What I feel for Oliver, accepts all parts of Oliver. Even the part of The Crow. I understand what he does for Bratva because as he's explained to me, this is his family. So if Bratva is his life, then it's my life."

Anatoly loosened his fingers, face showing that he'd come to a conclusion that he wasn't going to share with the room. He just tipped his head at Felicity, "Good enough for me."

Oliver held her hand tightly, both coiled to spring, as the maids began bringing in the dessert. She'd done well.

Felicity looked down at the dessert and laughed.

"What?" Oliver said curiously. The laugh feeling like fresh air.

"Chocolate pudding," she stated, eyes pleading with him to remember.

"Ohhh," Oliver said, snorting lightly as it came to him, "the 20lbs of it."

Raisa looked between them in confusion, "20lbs?"

"A while ago we were playing Felicity's unique brand of 20 questions," Oliver explained, eyes glancing over to Felicity's amused face, "She asked me if I could have 20lbs of something what would it be?"

"And you said chocolate pudding. Makes sense. I don't know how you got it out of him but he always tried to hide how much he loved it when he was younger," Raisa said, bringing some of the pudding to her mouth, giving Felicity a nod of approval.

Oliver groaned and tried to fight the growing embarrassment. Her eyes narrowed in on him, "Why wouldn't you want anyone to know you liked chocolate pudding?"

Raisa laughed openly, face excited at the bonding she was witnessing to the match the heat raising on Oliver's cheeks. He felt like a kid bringing his girlfriend home for the first time and being tackled from all sides.

Strangest thing was that besides Anatoly's looming presence…he kind of enjoyed it.

* * *

><p>Anatoly was a very practical man. He conducted his family as he did his business; with an iron fist and absolute control, something that drove a wedge between him and Oliver as the years passed by.<p>

The young Captain was strong minded and stubborn, but extremely efficient in everything he put his mind to. It was the reason why he was one of Bratva's youngest Captains. And it was the same reason why Anatoly trusted him with his most important operations. He would be the future leader of the brotherhood.

Anatoly and Oliver had clashed over many subjects in the past, especially on how to conduct Bratva business in Starling City. He had wanted to retain some form of control over The Crow, something that had become harder to maintain lately. Oliver had been restless about avenging the murder of his family, and his lack of understanding why Bratva couldn't risk a war with the Triad was something that caused endless conflicts between them.

It deeply concerned Anatoly. The brotherhood worked on a code of loyalty and faith in the family. If Oliver lost sight of what truly mattered, the plans that Anatoly had been working on for the past twenty years would all start to crumble.

There was no use denying the deep connection that his nephew shared with the mysterious blonde he had brought with him. Oliver had never brought a woman to visit him, had never let a woman stay in his mansion in Starling City, and had never let a woman become involved in his Bratva life. He knew that Oliver was a touch more than just infatuated with the woman and he feared if it came to a point where he had to choose between the brotherhood and her…he wasn't sure that The Crow would chose his family. And that was a problem.

So Anatoly had two choices, intervene and risk the wrath of Oliver, or he could let things run their natural course. He knew how quick some passions burned and that Oliver always fell for the charms of beautiful women no matter how hard or cold of a front he erected. Maybe the flame would burn itself out. He chose to wait.

After all, young love was something he understood well. He never remarried after his wife and son died during childbirth when he was young, choosing to remain alone, picking the brotherhood as his family and later on, Oliver as his rightful son and heir. He knew the dangers of this relationship, but he also knew the risks of forbidding it. It would only push Oliver closer to her and further from him.

"_She is quite lovely, your Felicity_," Anatoly said as he poured a shot of vodka into crystal glasses for him and Oliver.

"_Thank you, uncle. That she is_," Oliver agreed with a hint of a smile, accepting the glass. He wasn't sure how much his Anatoly would ask him about Felicity, but he was ready.

"_And she is the one responsible for this impressive growth in our transactions, you said?_" Anatoly asked, sitting down in his leather armchair and resting an ankle on his knee.

Oliver sat opposite of him, "_Yes, she was the one to develop the software that allowed us to make larger transactions while still remaining incognito_. _The advances she's made in our systems have made her irreplaceable_."

Anatoly hummed, latching onto the word 'irreplaceable'. "_That's interesting. Where did you find her?_" Anatoly asked, wondering how a woman like this came into Oliver's life.

"_She was an independent consultant for another company when I met her. She was highly recommended, smart, and…_" Oliver hesitated for a moment. Looking for a word to finish explaining how Felicity 'supposedly' got under his skin. He went with the truth, "_she made me smile. I decided to take a risk after that_."

"_One that's paid off it seems_," Anatoly observed, "_And the work that she did for us. How did that happen?_"

"_It has paid off. At first she wasn't happy when she realized what the program was about, what it was for. But I got her to see how her work could benefit us, how she could help_," Oliver said in a way that showed Anatoly how persuasive he could be and how willing Felicity was to help him with his business.

"_I'm sure you did, Ollie_," Anatoly said with a laugh.

"_Becoming my girlfriend ended up being a bonus, I suppose_," Oliver said, taking a large drink from his glass. It was like a back and forth with Anatoly, and Oliver was poised to win.

"_You know, Oliver, I wouldn't normally agree with something like this_," Anatoly said in a flat but penetrating tone, looking down at his glass.

"_Uncle_," Oliver said, his tone cautious.

"_Let me finish_," Anatoly said, as Oliver sat quietly waiting for Anatoly's analysis of all of this, "_She is a stranger that knows too much. Not to mention that she has taken residence in the home of a member of the Brotherhood. That is dangerous_."

"_She is not a stranger_," Oliver countered, "_She is not dangerous. She knows her place, both in the brotherhood and in my life_."

"_Does she_?"

Oliver's hand tightened on his glass. He was surprised it didn't break, "_Yes_."

"_You know, as a Bratva Captain and as the future Pakhan I always expected you to marry a Bratva daughter."_

"_I know_," Oliver said in the same hard tone Anatoly was sporting.

"Normally I wouldn't agree on a relationship such as this one. The Pakhan needs a woman that knows the rules, that will understand that the brotherhood comes above all things and that knows her place in our world," Anatoly said as he tapped his forefinger against the rim of his glass, "_She needs to be someone you can trust. And your Felicity seems to have garnered yours while still keeping the fire inside of her._"

"_That she does. She is a warrior_," Oliver said, ready to defend his choice. If there was a woman that he could see beside him, it was Felicity. No one else.

Anatoly seemed to accept his answers. He relaxed back into his chair and his voice became lighter but still cautious, "_Good. I wouldn't expect anything but a warrior for the woman that my nephew loves_."

Oliver felt his heart practically skip a beat at the declaration. He swallowed, "_I…_"

"_There is no use denying it, my boy. I see the way you look at her_," Anatoly said with a twinkle in his eyes, as Oliver seemed to pale. 'Love' had always seemed like an impossible commitment for Oliver and now Anatoly claimed that this was the reason he acted the way he did around Felicity. Love. Anatoly continued, "_And I can see the appeal, she is quiet outstanding. In a way that not many women are_."

Oliver was at a lose for words and could only say, "_She is very special to me_."

"_Oh, Ollie. It's not a crime to admit you love her. After all, why would you give her your mother's pearls if you didn't_?"

"_I wouldn't bring her into our world if she wasn't anything but special to me_," Oliver muttered, knowing how vulnerable admitting this would make him but seeing no other way around the word 'love' that Anatoly was pushing, "_I can't imagine living in a world without her it._"

"_Then you know what you have to fight for now_," Anatoly said as he looked at Oliver carefully, "_Fight not only for the family, but for the brotherhood and for the woman that you love_."

Oliver poured himself another drink before locking eyes with Anatoly and offering the bottle, "_I will uncle, with my life._"

Anatoly took the bottle, "_Maybe soon Moira's pearls won't be the only jewelry you retrieve from the Queen vault_."

* * *

><p>Autumn in Russia was beautiful. The brown, red and orange leaves, mixed with the last green ones that fought to hold to their last breath, created a stunning picture. Here in the manors winter garden, Oliver couldn't stop thinking about how striking it all was while Felicity and Raisa talked about Oliver's childhood.<p>

This was one of those moments that Oliver didn't hate this place so much.

He watched them from a distance. Her in particular as he hid behind a large column, concealed.

Felicity looked happy, her coat buttoned up right below her chin and her hands tucked into her pockets, as she talked to Raisa. She looked strangely relaxed, almost like she was enjoying their weeks stay in Moscow. Her presence felt somewhat comforting here, even though Oliver feared for her safety all the time.

He enjoyed having her by his side. She made him feel at peace. Happy like he hadn't been in a really long time. He wondered how this would change or grow during their stay here.

"Hi, Kid," Oliver heard from behind him, the voice familiar and raspy.

"Hi," Oliver said, keeping his eyes on Felicity and using the distance to make sure she was safe, while still giving her space and privacy to get to know Raisa. He liked them talking…sharing.

"She is exquisite, your Felicity."

"That's the rumor," Oliver replied, wondering how many people would say that to him.

Slade came to stand next to him, also peeking out at the two women who had begun walking through the leaves, "She is very different from the type of women you normally surround yourself with."

Oliver gave a small shrug as if it would explain all, "Maybe I was tired of being with the wrong women."

"She is one of a kind. Not the same type of 'wrong woman' for sure," Slade commented.

At this, Oliver glanced at Slade quickly, "Slade, why would you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You know exactly what," Oliver accused as he watched Felicity's head fall back in a laugh, her pale next on display, "You despise Isabel Rochev. We both do. So I can't exactly picture why you would chose her from all the women in Bratva to be your wife."

Slade sighed, "Kid, life's not a fairy tale. You of all people should know that. She is a good Bratva daughter. She will make a good partner."

"A good Bratva daughter?" Oliver said incredulously, "Did Anatoly arrange this marriage?"

"Yes, the Pakhan arranged it."

"I can't believe this," Oliver said under his breath, anger consuming him.

Slade placed a hand on Oliver's tense shoulder, "Isabel is a loyal member of the brotherhood. She is a gorgeous woman that warms my bed at night and will give me children one day. It's a good partnership. She knows her part and I know mine. You know how this works, Kid."

"I can't believe you agreed to this so easily."

"It wasn't easy Oliver. She is as good as any other woman that the Pakhan would chose for me."

"What I know is that my friend Slade Wilson wouldn't marry a woman he didn't love."

A feel seconds of silence followed, both being thrown into the past, "The only woman I ever loved and ever will love is dead. There will be no one else for me. My heart and soul died along with Shado, Kid. It's a moot point who will be my wife, because I will never love her."

"Slade," Oliver said, hating himself for bringing up Shado. "I'm sorry," Oliver whispered, knowing how hard losing Shado was on Slade. He lost the love of his life when he was young, watching her die in front of him, unable to save her. He'd never gotten over her death.

"I know you are," Slade said coldly, squeezing Oliver's shoulder before letting his hand rest by his side, "But that doesn't change the facts. She's gone and I will have to spend the rest of my life living without her."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. It's not my place to judge you," Oliver apologized, his eyes again following Felicity through the garden, as she and Raisa sat down on a rock bench next to the pond.

"She reminds me of Shado," Slade blurted out, surprising Oliver.

"What?"

"Felicity," Slade said with a pointed look at the woman talking with Raisa, "She's just like my Shado. Good, kind and pure. Untouched. To bring her into this life, into this world, is to taint her. To ruin her."

Oliver could hear the warning in his tone, "Slade, Felicity is a good person. An amazingly strong woman. But she is the master of her universe. She makes her own decisions."

"Does a woman in love really see the dangers ahead of her? Or does her heart cloud her judgment?"

"Slade," Oliver said, not looking at him. Things had been different between them for sure but love was…it was a lot, especially when he couldn't even bring up the courage to tell her that he liked her. Whatever it was…he'd been thinking of it. Thinking about how dangerous it was for her to be with him. He would forever be a target while he was part of Bratva. Could he do the same thing to her? Could he be that selfish after only getting a taste of what she could truly be like?

"I know you love her," Slade began but stopped at Oliver's narrowed eyed look. He didn't like being analyzed. Slade backtracked, "If not love her then care for her a great deal. I know this because I know you – I know you better than anyone else. It is clear to see. Just as much as I know how much you are tormenting yourself, going back and forth and probably holding yourself back because you don't want her to get hurt. The mere thought of losing her, tears you apart."

"I can protect her," Oliver interjected through clenched teeth. Hopelessness gripped at him for a second, filling his thoughts with fear. He could see a million ways of her being hurt. All because of him.

"That's what I thought. Until the woman that I love died in my arms."

"I can't…" a pained noise left Oliver's lips as he closed his eyes, trying to block out the wave of emotions he had begun feeling as Slade compared Shado's short life with Felicity's. It was an ache that never let Slade. And if it happened to him…he knew the ache would never leave.

She had the power to destroy him.

"If you really love her, you will let her go. Before it's too late."

Oliver stood silent, watching as Felicity's head lifted and as if by magic, locked eyes with him. She smiled at him, a small curling of her lips that turned into a pure and heartwarming smile. It was like a gust of wind blew away all his fears and dark thoughts.

Oliver smiled back, two of his fingers lifted in a small wave. She returned it with a curl of her own fingers before turning back to Raisa to continue speaking. Raisa said something with a wave of her arms and Felicity burst out laughing, hands coming up to cover her mouth.

What Slade was saying had merit. But what he saw right in front of him and what he felt…it was different. There was a spark between them, something light and good. He couldn't give up feeling like this.

He continued to watch her.

He'd been alone for a long time, dealing with all this dark and cold inside of him. If she was the light then why should he let go of it? Shouldn't he protect it? Bring it closer to him and protect it from any demons that would wish to whisk it away at night?

"I would have rather watched Shado live happily with another man. I would never be happy again, I would miss her every day of my life; but she would be safe and alive. I'd rather have lost her to another than to have to take flowers to her grave every month to just feel close to her," Slade said, interrupting Oliver's thoughts.

"I won't let anyone hurt her," Oliver promised, eyes warming despite the serious nature of their conversation. Raisa had taken one of Felicity's hands and held it in her own. From the look of awe on her face Raisa was probably accepting her to the family. Not Anatoly's family, but her little family with Oliver, "I will protect her with my life."

Slade peeked further out to get a clearer look of the two women Oliver was watching, one that he had known since he was a young boy, and the other a blossoming piece of his hidden heart, "Even if it means your own?"

Oliver could hear the unspoken words. Anatoly would never allow him to care…to love someone as much as he was supposed to love Bratva; no matter how calm and collected he seemed to be about Felicity. He would destroy that smile she held, the way she laughed, the light blush on her cheeks when he tucked her close to his side, the fire inside of her when they argued. He would destroy it all if Oliver didn't protect it.

"Yes," he finally answered, feeling sure of his words, "Even if it means my own."

He was past the point of no return.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you guys liked this chapter! First kiss, what'd you think? Russia? Thank you for reading and reviewing (if you do, we live off of them.)**

**Love,**

**PoisonAngelMuse & TheAlternativeSource**


	10. What If I Told You

**The Crow Chapter 10 – What If I Told You**

**Disclaimer:** We own nothing but our plot and our own characters. All rights over characters of the TV show Arrow belong to DC Comics and CW Television. All rights over this idea and its concepts belong to us. This work is intended for the private enjoyment of the reader and is not to be shared on any other sites (besides AO3 and FF) or events without our express permission.

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><p><strong>AN: Hi everyone! Thank you all for the amazing support. We love you guys so much and are here to help you during these hard times aka the Arrow hiatus. Also it's our one-year anniversary writing together! YAY! We've got three stories on our belt and are so grateful to have every single one of you as our readers. Thank you!**

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**Music – What If I Told You by Jason Walker**

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><p><em>What if I told you<em>  
><em>Who I really was <em>

_What if I let you in on my charade?_

_What if I told you_  
><em>What was really going on<em>  
><em>No more masks and no more parts to play<em>

_There's so much I want to say_  
><em>But I'm so scared to give away<em>  
><em>Every little secret that I hide behind<em>  
><em>Would you see me differently?<em>  
><em>And would that be such...a bad thing<em>  
><em>I wonder what it would be like<em>  
><em>If I told you<em>

_What if I told you_  
><em>That's its just a front<em>  
><em>To hide the insecurities I have<em>

_What if I told you_  
><em>That I'm not as strong<em>  
><em>As I like to make believe I am<br>_

Felicity slowly awoke, mouth parting in a yawn. She burrowed back into the comforting heat that surrounded her. She felt content here. She pressed her face deeper into the pillow, getting lost in the musky scent – a mixture of cologne and something so unique she couldn't put her finger on it - but which she felt safe in. She sighed happily. It was familiar. It felt like home.

Her foggy mind, clouded with sleep, let her enjoy the moment for a few more minutes, until the rational part of her brain seemed to pick up the small huff of air on her forehead. She was laid out on her pillow, her blankets by her feet. But the warmth…that was coming from the body curled around her. Slowly she opened her eyes and paused, eyes meeting a very naked collar bone. She knew that collar bone.

It was Oliver.

She blinked in confusion. There was a steady drum of a heartbeat underneath her hand, where it was splayed across his chest. She watched it move up and down with each breath that he took, a soft caress of air across her forehead happening each time.

She and Oliver had ended up tangled together again. She was tucked into his side, his arm around her back as her head rested on his shoulder. One of her legs was curled over his hip and her hand was right above his heart. His body was relaxed but his hold on her was firm, almost as if he were scared she would fade away in the middle of the night.

Ever since their first night in Russia they had somehow found each others bodies in the middle of the night. Since there were no pillows to create their ever present wall between them and Anatoly was watching, they had gone to bed that first day closer to each other, with an understanding that it was to protect each other. To assure that they weren't caught. Well it sure as hell didn't feel like that after the first time. Every night it was almost like their bodies sought out each other's company. Like they needed to feel each other. Like they belonged and were most content, together.

Absentmindedly she wondered if they should have gotten rid of that pillow barrier ages ago. If it meant waking up warm and safe every day, then the answer was yes.

She closed her eyes at that thought. Ever since they'd kissed, things had changed. Oliver seemed to invade her every waking thought. Even when she spent time away from him when he went off to discuss business with Anatoly she thought of what he was doing, where he was…if he was ok. And it was throwing her for a loop.

This thing that she had been feeling for him was becoming clearer and clearer now. It was an affection that she held for him. A confusing affection that she was afraid she was getting wrapped up in; that she might get lost in. She had already let go of so much in her life to be where she was now, to survive and avenge those that were taken from her. She literally had to become another person in a sense, and now, here she was, getting lost in the kind of man she always swore she wouldn't. The kind of man that would only lead her to heart.

Oliver shifted in his sleep and mumbled something sleepily, his lips grazing her forehead. She tensed immediately, her head slowly tilting back and her body beginning to slip away from his.

No matter how much she felt the change in Oliver, in their relationship and the affection that she felt for him now, he would always be The Crow. That's what he had been doing all hours of the day, coming to bed after Felicity was safely brought back to her room by Sara. He had been getting himself lost spending hours with Anatoly and Slade doing god knows what in the world of the Bratva. Probably doing things that were unthinkable to her. That was who The Crow was. That's who Oliver was.

She sat up, slowly loosening his hold on her waist.

Yet, as she watched Oliver softly sleeping, she couldn't find the will to let him go, to stop this growing ache of affection in her chest for the surly and yet wonderful man that lay before her. That's what he looked like to her, when she caught him sleeping soundly like this.

He looked young and peaceful, his chest moving up and down in a soft rhythm, like he didn't carry all that pain inside of him. Like everything was ok and they would spend the day together without a care in the world besides teasing each other and trying to figure out what to watch in there queue. He looked vulnerable. Like he couldn't possibly hurt anyone and that no one had hurt him. And the only proof that this was all a fleeting wish was his body, the proof that the life he'd lead for the past twenty years was one of pain and hardship.

She eyed his face for a second before hesitantly running her fingers over the lonely dark crow on his left pectoral, a dark reminder of who he was. The tattoo was on top of his heart, where her hand previously rested. The tattoo hid a small bullet wound. From the little research she had accumulated about his childhood before she arrived at the mansion, she knew that the scar was from the attack that had robbed the life of his family from him and had left a ten year old in the hands of a twisted man. She wondered if he chose to place the crow over his heart because of the gun shot scar, or as a reminder of the last time he had let something come close to his heart. On the other side of his chest, the Bratva star marked him as a Captain of the brotherhood – a brand on his soul. On his back she knew there were other tattoos, some for the Bratva, some a mystery. But all parts of him.

The rest of his body was filled with endless scars. She didn't dare move her hand over them, thinking about how many times Oliver almost faced certain death at the hands of his enemies. The thought was painful and for a second she almost wanted to cry, the burning in the back of her eyes becoming present. Oliver Queen had suffered more than any man she ever knew. Yet, he stood strong, still continuing his dance with death, as he revealed parts of himself that were wonderful and not as jaded as the rest of him.

Her thoughts continued to run wild.

He looked at her sometimes with unguarded eyes, the corners of his eyes crinkling, proof of what lay beneath the facade of the Crow. He looked at her as if this was his first smile in ages. His first laugh. All of it as if he hadn't experienced joy in a good long while. She relished those moments.

Guarded them as the days passed by in this cold and haunted house.

She wondered if she was living a dream here with Oliver, waking in bed with him, wondering about who lay underneath while getting closer to him with every step, her affection for him growing. Everything was a mess all around them, no use in denying that. But here with him…it felt different. It felt like the turbulent waters of her life had began calming down even though she was still afraid, smoothing over to allow safe travel. If felt like she was being given a chance to see something beautiful and rare.

And if this was a dream, then she wasn't sure she wanted to wake up.

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><p>Hesitantly she pulled herself away from Oliver and dressed for the day. She glanced at him one last time before slowly opening the door and making her way down to the kitchen with Sara as her guard. If the last days were any proof, he would be up in a matter of minutes courtesy of Roy, who had also been outside their door, waiting for them to awaken.<p>

When they arrived at the kitchen she wasn't surprised to see Raisa. The warm and welcoming woman had been a constant companion to Felicity these last couple of days. She had breakfast with Oliver and Felicity everyday. She also had been her companion around the house and grounds while Oliver was busy with Anatoly and Slade.

Sara sat in a stool while Felicity came around the island in the large and sleek looking kitchen. "Good morning Raisa," Felicity greeted.

Raisa pulled out some plates and smiled over at Felicity. They had caught her in the middle of cooking breakfast, "Good morning, dear." When she spotted Sara she greeting her as well.

"Good morning," Sara replied, pulling out her phone and beginning to click away, "Those don't look like waffles."

Felicity came to stand close to Raisa and looked at the various things she had laid out. Since arriving Raisa had relished the chance to make American foods such as pancakes and waffles. Today Raisa had given that up and was trying something different.

"Whatever it is, it looks good," Felicity supplied, looking at the porridge looking food next to bread, eggs and some sort of cheese.

Raisa preened a little at the compliment, "Thank you. It's Oliver's favorite. Used to eat this all the time for breakfast. Thought I'd get up a little earlier than usual to make it."

"Oliver liked to eat this when he was young?" Felicity asked. She liked the moments when Raisa would give her small glimpses of Oliver as a child. She felt like it helped her with the mystery that was Oliver Queen.

"Oliver was a sad child when he arrived here. Alone and scared. I took him under my wing and the first big break came when after a week of making him breakfast I made him this. You should of seen the smile on his face. Loved him immediately then," Raisa said, eyes showing that she was stuck in the past, "And he loved me too."

"Like a mother," Felicity supplied.

Raisa looked up in surprise, shaking her head, "No, never could replace Moira."

"No, you never could. That doesn't mean he doesn't think of you as such," Felicity corrected. She knew it wasn't her place, but she couldn't stand the small frown on Raisa's face, the way she tried to play down what she was in Oliver's life. It was clear to the Felicity that Oliver loved her dearly, "You can have more than one mom."

Raisa gave her a watery smile as she paused in stirring the porridge, "Thank you dear."

Felicity nodded, her eyes watering a bit too. She tried to shake off the feeling and maybe lighten the mood, "So do you have any embarrassing stories about Oliver as a kid here?"

Raisa laughed, "Oh I do. I've plenty of them. Some have Oliver getting caught in the drapes upstairs for about twenty minutes because he didn't want help. Or the time he fell head over heels for this small girl at this bakery nearby. He tried to make her some cupcakes and everything. I've got some pictures too that I must show you after breakfast." Raisa clapped her hands and looked at the spread in front of her, "Done. I hope you like it."

"I bet I will. Is there anything I can do to help?" Felicity asked. She felt closer to Raisa after this conversation than any other they'd held.

Raisa pointed at a stack of plates. "Can you take those and set them up for four.." she paused and pointed at the table with large windows that let streams of light inside, "over there. And you Sara, could you help me with the utensils?"

Both women agreed and helped Raisa set up the table with a practiced ease that came from setting up the table together for the past couple days. They were just finishing pouring the porridge into the four bowls when the kitchen door opened and Oliver came in looking sleep rumpled in slacks and a button up.

There was something about seeing Raisa with Felicity that always seemed to brighten him and wash away all the darkness that came back with him after dealing with Bratva business all day.

"Good morning," he greeted, walking over to Raisa and pressing a morning kiss on her cheek.

Felicity followed him as he walked over to her. She tilted her head back and grinned, "Good morning."

He leaned down and pecked her lips. She had become used to these kisses in greeting. It felt domestic as hell and neither could be bothered to bring it up. They just went with it.

He wrapped an arm around her, eyes happy as he turned to Raisa and Sara, "What's for breakfast?"

"We've got kasha, butterbrots, eggs and some tvorog," Raisa answered as she sat down.

Oliver's face collapsed into such an endearing smile that Felicity took pause, a smile blooming on her face as well. She'd never seen him look like that before.

"Thank you, Raisa. I…" Oliver said, voice a bit hoarse. He hadn't returned to Russia in a long while and this breakfast had been his favorite memory while in Russia. In fact it was one of the only ones before he went off to school.

Raisa waved him away, "Nonsense. No need to thank me. Now sit down and eat. We've got something's to discuss."

Oliver pulled out Felicity's chair before sitting down. Sara followed.

Felicity looked down at her plate and didn't know where to start. Everything looked so good.

"Juice?" Oliver offered. When Felicity nodded he poured her some before offering Raisa and Sara. Her eyes trailed him, wondering if this sweet and offering nature was for the ruse or because he cared for her. She tucked the thought away with Oliver's bright attitude for later thought as they began to eat.

"What did you want to discuss?" Oliver asked, digging into his porridge happily.

"I got us tickets to the ballet tomorrow," Raisa said after a spoonful, "I was hoping that Felicity could join me today and find a dress."

Felicity's eyes widened. She'd never been to a ballet. It always seemed so fancy and delicate when she'd seen it on TV. She didn't know if she'd fit in.

"I'd love to come but can Sara come too?" Felicity blurted out, wincing at her words, "She's always helped me pick the best things since I've got no hope in picking dresses. Would that be ok?" Most of the time Sara had been a background figure along with Roy when she spent time around the house with Raisa. The only time she didn't see them was when she was with Oliver, since he was protection enough when they were exploring the house.

Raisa nodded and looked over at Sara. The woman in question looked surprised at being included, "Would you like to come Sara? I don't want to make you feel awkward helping but would you?"

Sara looked over at Felicity in question. Felicity gave her a pleading look and Sara gave in. She didn't like going to events like this so it was no bother but she didn't mind helping Felicity, "I'd like to come. Thank you."

"And you Oliver? Do you have a tuxedo?" Raisa asked.

Oliver tore some bread and ate it, "Yes. I do."

Raisa gave another nod, ending the matter before smirking slightly at Oliver, "So, Felicity asked for some stories from your youth. Should we start with the curtain incident or the girl at the pastry shop?"

Oliver groaned, like he was immensely put out before looking over at Felicity. She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips at the pointed glare he gave her. Even with the stubble and fine pressed shirt he looked like a petulant child.

Felicity bit her lip to stop the smile that was fighting to come forth. His eyes flickered down to her mouth when she released the lip and ran her tongue over it. She felt a blush rise to her cheeks and her mouth part. His shoulders slumped moments later before he took her hand from the table and laced his fingers with hers.

"Fine," he grumbled, he made a shooing motion with his other hand, "Tell away."

As Raisa began reciting the tale, they all missed the surprised and charmed look on Felicity's face. This morning was full of surprises.

* * *

><p>Oliver and Slade had been enjoying their time together in the week that Oliver and Felicity had been in Moscow. While most of their time involved Bratva business, it was refreshing to be able to spend some time with his best friend, even though Oliver was worried on how Slade seemed to be living his life.<p>

While most of their work together as high officials of the Bratva were to control and supervise certain operations, they had to get their hands dirty from time to time. It was their duty as Captains. While Oliver took the responsibility of Bratva business in the United States, Slade stayed in Moscow and became Anatoly's right hand man. So it wasn't that surprising when Slade said that Anatoly was the one responsible for arranging his marriage with Isabel – after all, Anatoly was also the closest thing that Slade had to a father and his approval was something that he sought even though he hid it well.

And that surprised Oliver.

Not so long ago, the last thing that Slade wanted was to be a faithful Bratva son. Even though he had been raised most of his life in the Brotherhood, just like Oliver, Slade was the one who wanted to leave it. And that all revolved around Shado and his love for her.

Slade was 21 years old when he met the young Shado. It was a soul crushing kind of love. The kind you read about in books and see in movies. The kind they write songs about. She was his entire universe and Slade wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her. To top it off Shado wasn't a Bratva daughter, she was against the mere existence of the brotherhood. She was a kind and gentle soul, always helping others; the complete opposite of what Slade was when he met her. But for his love, for her, he was willing to give up Bratva, to run away and start fresh somewhere else.

But they never got to do it. On a night out Shado was hit by a drunk driver and died in Slade's arms. He watched helpless as the woman he loved perished. He lost the love of his life and all hopes of a life outside Bratva that day. He lost everything. Now, almost ten years later, he still hadn't got over it. The pain was still clear on his eyes and he seemed to have settled, given up, and decided that if the only thing he had left was the brotherhood, then he would do all he could to make Anatoly proud.

"Come on, Kid. Duty calls," Slade said as they walked through the mansion and towards the Bratva base of operations.

They walked the familiar path towards the secret door hidden by the bookcases in Anatoly's office. As they began their decent down the staircases, Oliver could feel the air become humid and heavy, filled with the familiar smell of mold and blood. It was nauseating.

When they reached the bottom they were met by grunts and the familiar sounds of hits and kicks hitting flesh. They made their way towards the sound.

"_Harder!_" Anatoly shouted, watching as two of his men kept hitting a man that was so brutally beaten that you could barely identify him, face swollen and covered in blood.

The man was sprawled on the cold and wet ground inside the familiar grey cell. He was shirtless and shoeless; covered in what was a mixture of blood and vomit. He groaned in pain, trying to use his bloody hands to protect his head from the violent kicks being showered all over his body. Oliver knew that this was deadly serious as soon as he spotted the Bratva tattoo on the mans forearm.

Oliver held himself still next to Slade, face become impassive. He hadn't seen something like this in ages, any Bratva business they had held in the past couple days had been purely cosmetic paperwork. He wanted to know why he was being punished.

"_Stop!"_ Anatoly ordered, the two men backing off waiting for his next command, _"Hold him up."_

The two men hauled the man up so Anatoly could speak face to face with him.

"_So Yuri, do you really think you could hide from me?"_ Anatoly said through clenched teeth, as the man struggled to keep his head up. _"The Pakhan?"_ Anatoly hissed, punching the man in the face, sending his head snapping back.

Oliver watched as Anatoly hit Yuri over and over, taking his frustrations out on the barely there man. It looked personal. A distraught feeling came over him, he knew the man. It was Yuri Makarov, one of the men that used to guard the estates perimeter. He had worked there for as long as Oliver could remember. He had a wife and kids. He had always been a loyal member of the brotherhood.

"_You know the code, Yuri. No one leaves!"_ Anatoly said, gripping his jaw tightly and making Yuri look up at him.

"_Oh, no. Please, no. I am begging you, Pakhan,_" Yuri pleaded, the words barely leaving his swollen lips, as he tried to speak.

"_You are a traitor. You put yourself above the brotherhood. You don´t deserve mercy_," Anatoly mocked with fury.

"_No,"_ The men begged, tears wetting his face, _"I will do better. Let me prove myself, Pakhan. Please, give me another chance."_

"_Hold onto your dignity and die like a man,"_ Anatoly said, as the man gasped, desperate as if he knew what was coming. They all knew what was coming.

"_I wont leave, I never wanted to leave. Please, give one more change. Let me go and I will prove it to you!"_

"_Oh, don´t worry. I will set you free,"_ Anatoly assured with a cold smile, his eyes filled with a chilling darkness.

"_Slade," Anatoly_ said lowly, as he walked away from the man.

"_No! No!"_ the men shouted, trying to fight the hold the guards had on him.

Slade moved quickly, and before Oliver could even blink or try to figure what the hell Anatoly was going to ask for, he shot Yuri in the head.

A splatter of red stained the wall behind him and his body fell limp on the ground as the two guards released him. Oliver watched, eyes unwavering at Yuri still open eyes, blood pooling underneath him.

Anatoly clicked his tongue in disapproval, looking down at the body on the ground before finally looking up and catching Oliver's eyes, as if he knew that he was there,_ "They never learn."_ He stepped away from the growing pool of blood and looked over at the two men,_" Get rid of the body."_

Oliver watched as Slade put his gun back inside his suit jacket while the two other Bratva men dragged Yuri's body away. That was a man he knew. A man his uncle used to trust. A man that put himself in front of bullets to protect his leader. A loyal man.

Oliver felt his stomach twist; watching the trail of blood that formed as Yuri's body was dragged away.

"You ok there, Kid?" Slade asked him, taking in the quiet Captain. Oliver had always been reserved in his outbursts when it came to violent acts like this. It was a sign of strength. But Slade could see below the veneer of what Oliver presented.

Oliver tore his eyes away from the blood. "I'm fine," he said coldly.

"I know you don't enjoy executions. But it comes with the territory. You know this," Slade whispered, knowing well enough that no one could hear this. The Captain was someone you looked up to. Someone that could do whatever was necessary to protect the Brotherhood. The last thing they needed was a Captain that looked shaken up after watching a traitor die.

"What was his crime?" Oliver asked, crossing his arm tightly against his chest, using it to ground him. He'd seen plenty of executions before. But he'd never been shaken by one. Shaken to the point where he didn't know what the fuck he was doing down here acting like it was normal.

"You know what it was," Slade shot back, looking around to see if there was anyone near by. There wasn't.

"Did he really want to leave the brotherhood? He has been in the Bratva his entire life. I can't see why he would leave," Oliver lied smoothly. They both knew that there were plenty of reasons to leave. Neither brought them up.

"There were rumors he wanted to leave Russia with his family. His older son is at the age to join the brotherhood, and he didn't seem to want that to happen. He was at the train station when Alek and Dimitri found him."

"And he broke the code and paid the price," Oliver finished for him. It didn't happen often, but when it did, it was always the same story.

"No one leaves the brotherhood. It's the code."

Oliver mulled over what to say as he prepared himself to leave. He couldn't be down here anymore. "Not so long ago you were ready to leave the brotherhood as well," Oliver whispered as Slade's eyes clouded over with memories of a life he would never have.

"And look how that turned out for me," Slade said as Oliver began to walk past him. Slade didn't stop him but managed to say, "Maybe that should be a lesson for all of us."

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><p>Oliver rushed through the mansion, ignoring the odd looks he was receiving from the guards he passed, feeling his stomach turn after everything that happened in that basement. He wasn't sure what sickened him more, Anatoly killing any man that broke his precious 'code' or how quickly Slade followed his wishes – without any hesitation whatsoever. But most of all, Oliver felt guilty for watching as another man died for the Bratva when all he wanted to do was protect his family. Didn't they have enough blood on their hands already? Shouldn't they focus on the real enemy instead of turning against their own when they just wanted to live?<p>

He angrily pushed open the door of his and Felicity's bedroom, letting it crash closed behind him, as he strode towards the bathroom.

He turned on the lights and stepped in front of the vanity. Pressing his trembling hands against the cold stone counter, he closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to shut down the blast of feelings inside of him. He felt like he was about to explode.

He hadn't felt like this since he was 13 years old and saw a man being killed for the first time. Just like last time, Anatoly took a life without consideration or remorse. He was judge, jury and executioner. And Oliver stood and watched, frozen.

Oliver had watched countless executions in the past 20 years. He'd killed some of these people himself. Not even a month ago he was the one putting a bullet into a man's head. He shouldn't feel like this. But he did. No matter how much he always tried to bury the guilt he felt for every life he took, it always rushed back to him, especially when he was here. But Oliver always knew the reason why he pulled the trigger – to protect himself or those he cared about – or even to make sure other people wouldn't be hurt. But it was a decision that always consumed him. Each life he took, ripped another small piece of his humanity away. He had accepted this, learned to live with it. To carry the weight of his decisions with him for the rest of his life.

Yet here he was, his chest filled with hate and anger, feeling helpless and most of all remorseful. The same way he felt when he was 13 years old and took his first step into the Bratva.

Long ago he learned to deal with the guilt that tried to consume him. He knew he had to push it all away if he wanted to survive this world. The Bratva was a dark place that would consume anyone, piece by piece, until there was nothing left. That's why he needed The Crow. That's why he closed himself off to any extreme emotion for so long. But now…now everything was a mess again. He was feeling everything at once. His mixed emotions were exploding inside of him, making him nauseated. He was part of this. Part of that death that occurred in the basement.

The guilt was overwhelming. Not only for all the people he killed but also for those he did nothing for but stand near by and watch. He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes and questioned what he had done with his life?

He wanted more. Fuck…he wanted more.

The realization almost bowled him over. It took him twenty years to admit he wanted more. That he wished for a life away from the horrors of the Bratva. A life he knew he could have had if his family was still alive. A life for Oliver Queen and not for The Crow. A life where he could be himself, without having to keep his guard up, a life with the woman he loved.

He'd never dared to wish for it before; after all he didn't have anything to live for besides the brotherhood. Now everything was different. He had a small glimpse of a life free of the Bratva, a life where he could be a regular man, where he could be safe and happy. Where he could be with Felicity.

He had opened himself up to Felicity. Let every laugh, every smile, every witty comeback in; he'd let her in. Let her break down the walls he'd used to protect himself for years. She was his salvation and his damnation.

When he opened himself to her, to the love he knew he felt for her, he had opened himself up to every emotion he'd denied himself for so long. And he felt like it was consuming him. Paired with what happened downstairs he felt like he needed it stop. He wouldn't survive like this. No, he needed to find a way to shut it all down, or he wouldn't be able to focus, he wouldn't be able to do this job. To protect himself and those he cared about, including her. Feeling made him vulnerable. It needed to stop.

"Oliver?" he heard Felicity ask from the open doorway, worry in her voice, making his body tense. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," he growled out, lowering his hands and watching her reflection in the bathroom mirror. He had been in such a rush to get away he hadn't realized she was in the bedroom when he'd entered. Her face was pinched with worry, lower lip in her mouth and her arms fiddling with the sleeves of her robe like she didn't know what to do. She always did that when she was nervous.

"You're not fine," she replied, slowly coming closer to him. She looked him up and down, almost like she was expecting to see him wounded or bleeding. Felicity swallowed for a second before continuing to move towards him. She knew it was a deeper wound.

A wound he had was on his soul. Dark and twisted. Broken. He couldn't do this. Not now. Not with her. "Felicity," he warned, his body turning towards her.

"What's going on?" she asked gently, moving to touch his arm. It was more to comfort him than anything else was, but her touch burned. It meant so much. It made him feel too much.

"Just leave," he said coldly, moving away from her touch. He couldn't deal with these overpowering emotions. He felt all his fears and insecurities rear their heads. She would leave him after this whole thing with the Triad was over with. After he was stripped bare and fell for her…she would leave him because she didn't feel the same. How could she? She'd pulled away when they kissed. Trying to avoid talking about it for days even though she promised that they would. He'd never kissed someone like that before.

He was losing himself. He needed to find a way to go back. To put himself together or he would break down. And if he broke, he would never be able to put himself back together again.

"Leave," he repeated emotionlessly.

She had flinched at his tone but didn't back down. Dropping her hand she continued to try to figure out what was going on. He didn't look all right. He looked frantic, cold, cornered. "Oliver, I thought we got past this. You know the phase where you act like a…"

"Please," he begged this time, cutting her off while still trying to remain cold and distant. He couldn't look into her eyes, "I need to be alone. I can't…I can't do this right now."

"Let me help you," she implored, reaching out as if to touch him again, "What can I do to help you?"

"You can't," he said in a pained tone, blurting out words without really explaining what he was truly feeling, "Don't you see it? Everything is messed up. I can't do this. I wasn't supposed to feel like this. I wasn't supposed to feel anything at all."

"Oliver," she whispered, voice unsteady and careful as her eyes filled with unshed tears. He was talking about her. Somehow she had ruined him. To love her was to open himself to everything he had spent the past twenty years running from. It made him…human. And whatever had happened before he returned to the room had drudged it back up along with whatever insecurities he was hiding behind, "Whatever your thinking it's…it's not…just tell me what's going on in your mind right now? What happened?"

"Please, just go away," he muttered, turning away from her unyielding stare; his head tucked down to his chest and his eyes closed. If he continued facing her she would find out. She would strip him open again and see what he was feeling inside, how insecure he felt. He wasn't strong enough. Not when it came to her.

"I can't," she said, her voice cracking at the downtrodden picture he painted, "That's not what friends do. We kindly ignore our bullheaded friends and continue to ask them what's wrong and how we can help them. Yes, everything's messed up but I'm not going anywhere."

"Why not? It's not like you have anything here, anything holding you back," he said bitterly, eyes flying open and thinking back to the kiss they had, as he turned to her. He remembered how she'd escaped to try to figure it all out. And while she did that he was being crashed upon by things he hadn't felt in ages or maybe ever, "And who said we were friends? We work together."

She took a step back as if she'd been slapped. Time didn't really stop. It only felt that way as his breath hitched at the hurt look on her face and he felt guilt wash over him. He'd gone too far. He'd let his thoughts run wild and he'd gone too far.

Her face became stony and for the first time since he'd met her he felt like she was shutting him out entirely. Fuck he'd crossed the line.

He shook his head lightly, backtracking over ever word he said to her. He didn't mean it, "I…fuck. I'm sorry. I just...it's been a long fucking day and…I let shit get away from me."

She looked away, eyes brimming with angry tears. She hadn't signed up for this. For being verbally attacked by someone she considered a friend, maybe something even more. She steadied herself before looking at him again, "When you came into the room I thought something was wrong. That someone had hurt you. So I did what I thought was right. I came to comfort you because I thought we were in that place in our…relationship."

She swallowed as she thought over what she'd felt this morning. The affection, warmth and safety she felt with him. She felt like he'd wiped it away with his harsh words and insecurities.

He took a step towards her, remorse and shame hitting him quickly and harshly. But she did the most heartbreaking thing, she stepped away from him.

"No," Felicity said, shaking her head, a hand help up to keep him away, "You don't get to talk to me like that or push your insecurities on me. I told you we would talk about it later. I thought you would respect that but I guess I was wrong."

Oliver frowned, no, he couldn't let her think that. He'd just let everything get away from him. The anger and what had happened in the basement consumed him and now he was backtracking and looking over everything he'd said. He'd blamed her. And from the torn look she was giving him, he'd been completely wrong in doing so.

"You know as much as you're terrified about what's going on here, how things have changed between us…I'm terrified too, Felicity said, sniffling, "The only difference is that I wouldn't dare take it out on you."

She turned and walked out of the room without looking back.

He clenched his fists by his side before pushing everything off the counter, "Fuck!"

They really needed to get the hell out of Russia.

* * *

><p>Felicity slept curled away from him that night, her back towards him. She blamed having light cramps but she was lying and they both knew it. When the morning came, Felicity was long gone, the side of her bed cold. His heart gave a twinge at the sight but he ignored it, knowing that he would see her at breakfast. He'd be able to maybe talk to her then.<p>

That plan was derailed when, exiting his room he was met by Roy, who told him that Felicity, Raisa, and Sara had already left for the day to look for dresses for the ballet. He thanked Roy and had breakfast alone for the first time in weeks. He hoped his face didn't betray how much he missed her.

The day passed quickly after that as he worked with Slade on some local matters. It was early afternoon before Felicity, Raisa, and Sara returned. They were weighed down by bags that he helped with. Felicity thanked him with a quick kiss on the lips before Raisa shooed him away, saying that they needed to prepare for the night together.

It fueled his need to talk with every second he saw Raisa and Felicity spending together. They…had taken to each other as family would. His family.

He didn't get to see her after that, Raisa insisting that she wanted to continue her girls day with Felicity. So two of the most important women in his life rode to the theatre together while he sat in a limousine with Anatoly, Slade & Isabel, all pretending like their wasn't a palpable tension between them. He was so distracted by thoughts of Felicity that he didn't even snipe at Isabel and her shocking red dress.

When they arrived at the theatre, Isabel gave him a cursory look, as if questioning why he was alone, before Slade led her away to their private box. Anatoly didn't even have time to make small talk before Raisa appeared, pulling Felicity with her.

"Anatoly! Oliver," Raisa said in excitement as they met up. Raisa let go of Felicity and Anatoly pressed a kiss to his sister's cheek.

"You look lovely," Anatoly said, glancing at her glamorous looking pink satin dress.

Raisa grinned, "Thank you. And what about Felicity? Don't you think she looks lovely?"

"Very," Anatoly said, appraising Felicity's black plunging sleeveless dress.

Felicity shifted uncomfortably but managed to play it off with a bashful smile, "Thank you." When Sara had suggested the dress to her earlier on in the day, she knew it was the one. She felt beautiful in it and felt comfortable in the familiar dark color. It'd been too long.

Raisa patted Anatoly's shoulder before she said, "Now let's leave these two to say hi. They haven't seen each other all day and I think he's in shock because of the dress."

Oliver could see them retreat from the corner of his eye.

Raisa was right, he was in shock. He'd never seen something so awe inspiringly beautiful that he felt his breath catch as if he'd never get it back. He swallowed and wiped his hands on his pants legs as if clearing something off. In all reality they were sweaty. Oliver Queen's hands had never done that over a woman.

Clearing his throat he said, "You look breathtaking." He didn't mean to blurt that out but by the way she pressed her lips together he knew he'd gotten to her. There was a smile hidden under all the anger that she held for him since last night. Some of the tension from the previous night bled out. Only a little bit of it.

"Thank you," she said carefully as he approached her. Knowing that this wasn't an appropriate place for affections he held out an arm for her and she took it, guardedly looking to Anatoly and Raisa in front of them, who were already at the end of the hall.

She didn't say anything else, unsure of what to say since last night and the fact that she hadn't seen him all day.

Oliver sighed, in frustration at himself mainly, before leading her down the expansive hallway. They followed signs placed on the opulent red and gold halls until they were waved through a door. They passed through a curtain and stepped into the most beautiful theatre in all of Russia.

He had been there a couple of times but this was Felicity's first time. Her eyes widened a bit and her mouth parted into a small smile. "It's beautiful," she said in awe at the beautifully open area.

At her words the other people in the premium box turned to look at them. They paused, taking in the beautiful couple that they made. Oliver recognized many of them as old classmates. The women appraised him, eyes wanting. The men did the same to Felicity, eyes pleased and jealous. Holding himself steady, Oliver placed a hand on the curve of her hip, his large hand making it so his thumb grazed her exposed skin. The touch was affectionate and possessive at the same time and it was a win that she didn't flinch away from him. She gave the people near by a tight smile. She knew where she was.

Oliver guided her around the three rows and led them to a seat in the middle of the front row where Anatoly and Raisa already sat next to Isabel and Slade. He gave the area a careful look as Raisa spoke to Felicity.

"You'll love it dear," Raisa said, handing Felicity a glossy looking program, "I got this for you."

"Thank you, Raisa," Felicity said, brightening for the first time that night as she took the program into her hands. It was kind of useless to have a program all in Russia but she didn't mind as she began flipping through it, oohing at the beautiful photos.

"If you like those, then you'll really like the show," Oliver supplied, leaning closer to speak into her ear, playing it off as a loving gesture.

Felicity pivoted her head quickly to look at him, only registering his comment with a tiny smile that looked sweet to the classmates that were watching them. But he can see the look in her eyes. It was all for show.

He clenched his teeth for second before taking her hand and leaning back in his seat. She curled her fingers lightly around his and kept her eyes forward, still upset with him.

"This place is beautiful Oliver," Felicity gushed lightly, distracting herself from the infuriatingly beautiful man next to her. He'd been making puppy eyes at her as if she'd hurt him and she didn't know how to take it. So she focused on how beautiful she felt in her black dress and how regal the theatre they sat in looked. She didn't know if she'd ever seen anything so grand or if she ever would again.

Oliver patted their joined hands lovingly, "The first of many. I'll take you to a couple of my favorite theatres. There's one in Italy I think you'd like."

"Promise?" she asked, keeping her eyes wide and observing as a sound echoed throughout the theatre, announcing the beginning of the show. Raisa and even Isabel made an excited noise as it began.

He tested their boundaries again by keeping her hand in his as the lights dimmed, "Promise."

Music rang out and the large red curtains of the stage opened. She turned her face to look at him one last time before the ballet started. She smiled, game face on, and sweetly said, "Thank you."

Something twisted in him at the sugary sweet tone she used. Felicity wasn't sugary sweet. She was fierce and surprising. The dancers came out and he watched her profile, eyes darting around the stage at the exuberance and lovely outfits they wore.

They shouldn't be like this. They shouldn't be tense; calm and collected as if they were just 'partners'. Because they weren't just 'partners'. They were more. And he wasn't going to let this poisonous place where Anatoly reveled in the power he held over others and the place where his haunted memories lived, drag him back down.

What he had thought and said in the bathroom last night was cruel and unjust; to him and to her. It did make him realize one thing though...he wanted more. And as soon as they returned to Starling City they were going to talk about all of 'this'. Whether she wanted to or not they would talk about the bond and trust that had formed between them.

They would talk about that kiss.

* * *

><p>Felicity handed over her bag to Oliver. It was time. After a week spent in Russia they were finally going back to Starling City.<p>

Raisa hadn't let Felicity out of her sight all morning, wanting to spend time with Oliver and her up to the last second. Right now Raisa was giving her the most heartfelt goodbye. She was surprised to find she missed her mother just then.

Raisa held Felicity's hands between them, "I'm sorry we didn't get anytime to dig up Oliver's photos when he was a kid. You would have loved them."

Felicity grinned, "It's ok. The stories were good enough. Trust me."

Raisa laughed, and whispered conspiratorially, "Yes, good blackmail for the next time he gets cheeky with you."

She did now have a nice treasure trove of stories courtesy of Raisa. It was her favorite topic. Raisa loved Oliver dearly and spent a great deal of her time talking about him to Felicity.

"Thank you for having us, Raisa. It was…it was really nice meeting you," Felicity said in a lightly trembling voice. She had connected with the woman on another level, seen the love that Oliver was exposed to as a young boy. She suspected that she was the reason Oliver survived so long.

Raisa gathered her in for a hug, the emotion in Felicity's voice reflected in her own, "It was fantastic meeting you Felicity. You are a brilliant woman who has done something remarkable."

Felicity looked at her in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"In the past week I have seen Oliver smile and laugh more than I've seen in years. Somehow you managed to harness that light that's still inside of him. Don't let it go, ok?"

Felicity felt the weight of her words. She could do nothing but smile and nod, "I won't. I promise." She meant the words.

Oliver returned at that moment, placing a hand on the back of both women, "Don't make her cry, Raisa."

Raisa clicked her tongue and let go of Felicity, before patting the side of Oliver's face, "I should tell you that."

Oliver and Felicity shifted uncomfortably for a second, eyes darting to each other. Did Raisa know that things had been tense for the last day or two?

Raisa continued, "You two have something special here, something lasting. I want to see even more smiles and happiness the next time you visit. And a longer one too."

Oliver swallowed, heart in his throat. Her approval warmed something inside him. "Maybe next time you can visit us?" he suggested.

Felicity didn't know where the question came from but she jumped on it when Raisa's face broke out into a delighted smile, "Yes, next time you must visit us. We'll show you around Starling City. Show you some of my favorite spots."

Raisa pulled them both into a hug that brought Felicity and Oliver's faces together. They held each other's eyes as Raisa spoke, "That's an offer that I will most certainly take you up on."

Oliver gave Felicity the tiniest smile, hoping that it conveyed how sorry he was. Her shoulders relaxed the tiniest bit and she returned the smile with pressed lips, before turning to Raisa. She pulled both of them down to press kisses to their cheeks. Her eyes were watering.

"I'll see you soon, my boy," Raisa said, sniffling a bit as she took a step back and looked at both of them, "Both of you. I'll see both of you soon. Now I'm going to go and check your room to see if anything is left."

Oliver stepped forward. "I'll check with you," Oliver volunteered. He looked back at Felicity, "You'll be ok?"

She nodded and pointed back at the SUV where Slade, Roy and Sara were packing the car, "I'll be ok."

Felicity watched them walk away and up the stairs, Raisa whispering things to him like a mother would to a son who was leaving for an extended amount of time; worried and excited all at once. When they reached the top of the stairs, Oliver looked back at her once final time before disappearing.

Her hands fiddled with the hem of her coat, rolling the edge between her fingers as per habit. If she had the chance she wouldn't mind seeing Raisa again. But definitely not in this house. What it did to him…what it did to her, was not something she wanted to experience again. She wouldn't mind Raisa coming to Starling City and visiting them there. She enjoyed the woman's company and saw getting to know her as one of the highlights of the trip.

Echoing footsteps came from behind her and she turned, expecting it to be Oliver returning for something. She was wrong. It was Anatoly.

Since arriving at the mansion she had managed to avoid being alone with the man because Oliver or Raisa were always there. Felicity was having no such luck now.

He walked up to her, a lazy smile on his face to match with his empty and challenging eyes. It unnerved her. When he held out his hand to shake, she contemplated for a second denying him her touch. But she knew where she was. She had to take his hand.

"Ms. Smoak, it was a pleasure meeting you," he said smoothly, shaking her hand and not letting go.

She returned his smile, "The pleasure was mine. Thank you for letting us stay in your home. It really is beautiful."

His smile turned knowing and commanding. She felt her blood run cold, "Maybe next time Raisa and I will visit you in Starling. Get to see what you're really up to when so many intruding guards aren't around. They really are a bother sometimes."

He gripped her hand, a little too tightly if she was being honest. He was smiling at her, but then again he wasn't. It was this sort of manic gesture that screamed 'back away'. She would have if she thought she could pull her hand away without causing a scene.

"I don't know, I quite enjoy Sara's company. Even Roy sometimes," she shot back lightly, reminding him of where they were.

Felicity looked back and saw that Roy and Slade were helping Sara put things into the SUV. Her guard was busy and Oliver wasn't back. As soon as Oliver came back Anatoly would let go. She knew it. She would have to hold her ground until then.

"I'm glad you've made friends during your time with Oliver," Anatoly continued, smile hardening at not being able to frighten her.

Felicity heard chatter coming from the stairs, signaling that someone was approaching. Oliver was coming. Patting their joined hands she took a small step forward and made sure her eyes didn't waver from his, "Family, Anatoly. I've made family."

His eyes betrayed him at her words. There was malice in them, a want to figure out what was going on between Oliver and Felicity by any means necessary. And he wouldn't be getting it from Felicity now.

"Uncle," Oliver said from the top of the stairs. Raisa was right next to him as they descended. When they reached the bottom Raisa kissed Oliver's cheek one last time before disappearing off a side door. His eyes zeroed in on their joined hands, "Came to say goodbye?"

Anatoly released his grip on her and Felicity felt like she could breath again. Oliver came to stand next to Felicity and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. No matter what the hell happened to them, he could read her tense nature and wanted to keep her safe.

His touch made her feel safe.

"Anatoly was just talking about maybe visiting us in Starling," Felicity said, voice betraying her immense need to drag Oliver out of the place, "Wouldn't that be nice?"

Oliver nodded, eyes trained still on his uncle, "That would be fantastic. Until next time Uncle."

He held out his hand and Anatoly shook it. He looked between them, eyes thoughtful. "Have a safe trip," he said, an edge to his voice that was easily recognizable.

Oliver's hand gripped Felicity's shoulder as he turned her away from Anatoly and began leading her out, "Thank you Uncle."

They could both feel his watching eyes on their backs as they piled into the car and drove away. And with every mile that they put between the home, between Anatoly and them, they felt like they could breath a little more easily again.

Oliver's eyes flickered to Felicity when they arrived at the airport, when they said their quick goodbyes to Slade, and when she took a seat across from him. She'd been quiet, eyes lost in her own thoughts and barely speaking. Returning back to Starling City and away from this poisonous place would be good for them.

When Oliver turned his eyes to Sara and Roy for the pre-flight check, Felicity's eyes flickered over to Oliver. She knew he'd been watching her. Trying to gauge what had happened back at the mansion between her and Anatoly. It would be good for them to return to Starling, the world and life that they were familiar with.

His angry words flashed in her mind and she closed her eyes. She remembered his comforting touch when they woke up together; how he looked at her and the affection she knew she felt for him. All of them were a cluster of emotion stuck in her chest.

They just needed to return to Starling City. They needed to get the hell away from this place and get back home, where things made some sort of sense. She held onto that thought the entire flight.

* * *

><p>The moment the plane hit the track in Starling City, Felicity felt immensely better. It was like coming home almost washed away all the things that Anatoly had said to her, all the things that he made her feel; the fear and the horror that seemed to emanate from that home. He was the kind of man that chased people in nightmares. And if China White had a male counter part that haunted her, it would be Anatoly Knyazev.<p>

"Home sweet home," Roy said with a yawn as the plane stopped moving and the pilot announced the end of their journey.

"Finally," Sara said with a groan, stretching her legs and moving to pick up her backpack. "I need some Big Belly Burger."

"Oh, you know the way to my heart, Lance," Roy said with a hand to his chest as the two of them took the luggage and stepped off the plane.

Felicity got up from the plush leather seat and buttoned up her black coat over her green dress, feeling the need to have it wrapped around her and ground her. She was physically and emotionally exhausted. But she was glad to be home and in a place that things could go back to normal, what ever that was.

"Hey, are you ok?" Oliver asked her softly, bringing her out of her thoughts. He was watching her, as she seemed to be on autopilot. She had been like that ever since they left Moscow. He had tried a couple times to make up for what he said to her a few days ago. Yet, she was still wary.

"Yeah, I'm just tired," she shrugged, packing her tablet away in her bag along with some things she'd been fiddling with.

Oliver shoulders dropped and a sigh escaped his lips. Grabbing her carryon he stepped to the side and let her pass him, "Let's go home then."

She noted that while things between her and Oliver were still strained, he seemed to worry about her, his eyes finding hers many times during the plane ride. With each inquiring look, clear as day on his face, he seemed to be wondering why she was so lost in thought. Wondering if she was ok? And no matter how much of an asshole he had been with her on that night in the bathroom, how closed of he'd been, it was clear that Oliver cared. But it didn't erase his words or ease her thoughts and confusion as to the reason why he'd done it. She thought they were past that.

Diggle was there to pick them up in a large Audi SUV. Sara and Roy helped him put the bags in the trunk, and they all got into the car with no fuss. Diggle and Oliver fell into easy conversation – with Diggle giving updates on their operations during their time away. Felicity sat quietly, barely noticing the drive to the Queen Manor, only realizing they were there when the large iron gates of the mansion closed behind them.

As soon as Diggle parked the car, Roy and Sara took the bags inside the mansion with the help of some of the security that was guarding the front yard. Sara and Roy kept going about eating the supposedly best burger in Starling City, while Oliver stood back in deep discussion with Diggle. Felicity was left to stand there and wonder if she should go up by herself or wait for Oliver.

Anya was there.

"_Captain_," Anya greeted, joining them in the foyer, "_Welcome home, sir_."

"_Anya_," Oliver said shortly, handing her his large trench coat. For a moment he'd forgotten about the piece of Anatoly that resided in his home.

"I hope you had a good journey," Anya said, her posture perfectly straight, her arms behind her back, her eyes on Oliver. She reminded Felicity of a soldier, of Anatoly's soldier to be precise. The thought alone made her shiver as she came to stand next to Oliver.

"I did. Now I am back," Oliver said coldly, not wanting to prolong the conversation, as the older woman stared him and Felicity down. Felicity instantly took a step closer to Oliver, as he moved his hand to her back, moving his thumb in small comforting circles. That was new.

"_Do you want to eat something, Captain? I can order Nikolai to make you a meal_," Anya asked him, as Oliver looked down to Felicity.

"Do you want something to eat?" Oliver asked Felicity, running his hand down her back and eventually curling around her hip, making a small shiver run down her arms.

"I'm not hungry. I'm really tired though; I think I'll just head to bed. Take a nap," Felicity answered, moving to hold onto Oliver's arm and look up at him lovingly. Or what she hoped looked lovingly since Anya was staring them down.

"You sure?" Oliver asked, worried, "You didn't eat anything on the plane. You should have something."

"I'm sure. I just need a hot shower and to sleep ten or maybe twelve hours. The jetlag will kill me tomorrow if I don't," she rambled, as Anya watched their interaction with keen eyes.

"Ok, I will join you later. I have some unfinished business to attend to with Diggle," Oliver explained, as Felicity nodded and pulled away from his warm and steady hold. She walked up to their room without a glance back.

Felicity reached their bedroom and let a relieved gasp escape as she closed the door behind her. She could stop pretending everything was ok here, even if for a bit. She pressed her back against the door for a second before pushing off and removing her black coat and handbag and placing it on the bed. The pearl necklace that used to belong to Moira Queen and that had adorned her neck for the past week, followed right after. Carefully she put the pearls inside a small jewelry box that Oliver had gotten her specifically for the necklace. She still felt overwhelmed in a good way that Oliver had let her wear them.

She slowly removed her boots, sighing in relief when her toes curled into the plush carpet. She dropped them on the ground near the edge of the bed where her coat and bag lay, not caring if Oliver would throw a hissy fit over her things not being put away properly. She was way too tired to care about Oliver's OCD tendencies.

Removing her glasses, she put her hair on top of her head in a messy bun, and walked to where her suitcase was waiting for her. Pulling out some comfy clothes to change, she strode over towards the bathroom. She caught her reflection as she put her clothes down. She was looking at a beautiful stranger, someone that she had gotten used to and that her mother would be proud of, she thought bitterly.

She needed to wash it all away.

"Felicity?" she heard Oliver call out from the bedroom as he entered, door closing behind him.

"I'm in the bathroom," she answered, pulling out some wipes to take her makeup off. She just needed this day to be over. She was exhausted.

"Hi," Oliver said softly, stopping at the threshold of the bathroom, arms lightly crossed against his chest. He didn't hesitate to ask, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Felicity said quickly, eyes still on her reflection in the mirror as she took her lipstick off. "Shouldn't you be debriefing Diggle?"

"Not if you needed me," Oliver said, concerned. She'd run off to the room as if someone was chasing her and after a couple minutes thinking about her he'd excused himself from John, "I can deal with Diggle later."

"I don't need you now. Besides, we're not even friends, right? You don't need to act concerned," she said shortly, voice void of emotion. Her words stung and she knew it. She relished the hurt that flashed in his eyes as his words came back to haunt him.

He tapped his fingers against the doorframe, trying to figure out where to start. "Felicity, I'm so sorry. You know I didn't mean it," Oliver apologized, his face filled with regret.

Her hands dropped and she looked down at the sink. "You can go back to your business, Captain," she said, not giving in.

His shoulders dropped and he blurted out, "Are we really going to play this game, Felicity?"

She whirled around and looked at him, eyes wide and disbelieving at what he'd said. "I'm not playing anything. We're not friends. You're my Captain, my partner. Now, I'm tired, Oliver. So if you don't mind, I really want to take my shower in peace," she repeated, throwing his words back at him and hoping he could take the cue and leave her. But Oliver stood there, staring at her. He was holding his ground and it took her by surprise, "What?"

"Felicity, you promised me that we would talk about what happened in Russia," Oliver calmly said, trying to rein back his frustration.

"Well, what happens in Russia stays in Russia," she said, trying to end the conversation once more.

He took a small step into the room. He was trying to talk to her. Get through to her. He couldn't understand why she wasn't giving him a chance to talk, to explain, "Why are you being like this?"

"Like what?"

"Distant. Like things haven't changed between us. Like the world didn't stop spinning when we kissed."

"Oliver, you know why," she said, tossing her makeup wipes away and pausing to look down at the ground, the wall, anywhere but him, "You made it abundantly clear the last time we were in a bathroom together."

"I made a mistake ok? I shouldn't have treated you like that."

"No shit," she said, getting angrier at his attempts to apologize, when all she wanted to do was escape to her shower. "I'm not one of your one night stands Oliver. You can't just say it was a 'mistake' and expect everything to be ok. I don't need to take your shit," she hissed, feeling a ramble coming.

"I know that!" he said, his tone desperate, as he threw his hands in the air, "I know you aren't. You're so much more than that. If you would just let me explain…"

"I don't want your explanations, Oliver. I want your absence," she said, holding back the angry tears that were pooling in her eyes, "Please, just let me go."

"No," he said, in a pained tone, "I can't."

"Oliver," she whispered, rubbing her temples before looking at him. She was too tired to keep this going. But the look on his face…their was desperation there that told her he wasn't going to back down.

A few beats of silence followed. Neither moved or spoke. He took the lifeline she was giving him to explain.

"I know you don't want to hear what I have to say. I know that I was a jerk with you. That night there was so much going on that you have no idea about," Oliver said, mind flashing back to the basement, "So much that I felt like I was barely hanging on there. So much that it made me lash out at you when you didn't deserve it."

He'd never done something like this, admitted that he was wrong. But for her, he'd do it. He had too because this was bigger than his insecurities.

"Then why did you decide to leave me in the dark then? I thought we were partners. That you wouldn't keep this fucking act up anymore. Not with me. Not after everything we have been through and will go through," she shouted, feeling her defenses struggle.

"Because I was scared, OK!" he shouted, taking another step towards her. In a tight voice admitted what he feared. "I was scared. Simple as that. I…for so long…for so long I've just shut everything out. Kept all of those feelings buried deep inside of me; the ones that you feel when you care for someone, when you want them to be ok and you wouldn't feel complete if you didn't talk to them. I couldn't let myself feel all of those emotions. Not if I wanted to survive this world, survive the Bratva," he said with clenched teeth.

Felicity remained quiet, watching him as he continued.

"For so long I couldn't trust anyone. I couldn't let my guard down. Not with anyone," Oliver said, looking down to the cold bathroom floor, body tense and fists clenched at his sides, "When you go like that for so long…you don't see people…you see targets and threats. But then…" he looked up at her and she felt herself waver at the frustrated sincerity in his eyes, "...I met you, and everything changed. I couldn't hold back feeling anymore. You came blasting into my life, making me feel all the things that I promised myself I couldn't feel. Things that I thought I was too broken for besides hate, anger and my desire for revenge."

"Oliver," she muttered, not sure what to say as he took another step closer to her. No one had ever been this honest with her. He'd never been this honest with her.

"When I lost my family, I lost everything. I had no one. Then when Raisa and Anatoly took me in I thought it would be ok, that maybe I wouldn't be so hurt and alone. But very quickly I learned that there wasn't anything that I loved that couldn't be taken from me. Loving something or someone would leave me vulnerable. Weak. Anatoly made sure to teach me that very important lesson. Something that he enjoys reminding me of until this day," Oliver said bitterly, remembering Anatoly's threats disguised as fatherly advice. He didn't want to bring up these things but at this point it was go big or go home.

"The things I had to do to survive…I'm not proud of them. In fact, I despise it. I hate the kind of man I had to become. Full of guilt and shame. The broken and tarnished man that Anatoly molded me into, his Captain, his Crow. The only thing I had left after he was done with me was my desire to avenge my family's death. I was living I life I was trapped in with no remorse, no pain, and no shame. No love. I let the emptiness inside of me consume me until all that was left was darkness. And then…you came barreling into my life. Breaking into my home, all bold and beautiful," Oliver whispered, eyes far away as he remembered their first meeting. Felicity could almost feel tears forming in the back of her deep blue eyes.

"And I put you through the ringer at first. Because that's what I was used to. But no matter how hurt and broken you looked, you were a warrior. You just had this light inside of you, this fire. It was intoxicating. It was like seeing that light can shine in the darkest of places," Oliver said, a small smile forming on his lips. He was just letting everything pour out of him, each word leaving him feeling lighter, "I couldn't stay away that, from you. No matter how much I tried. It was like a moth to the flame. You consumed me."

Felicity took a short and sharp breath at the end of his confession and tears clouded her vision. He was only a couple feet away from her now, close enough to touch.

"Before I knew it I was feeling again, opening myself to you until you saw the real me. And you didn't back off like I expected. Hell I didn't back off like I expected. I kept pushing forward. You kept on pushing forward. I didn't know that I could just be Oliver Queen, the guy who sits with a pretty girl and watches stupid movies about archers while eating junk food and poking fun at each other. And before I knew it I had fallen in love with you."

The little half-smile on his lips became a full real one.

Felicity looked at him in astonishment, expecting him to take it back or maybe correct himself. He didn't. She felt like something warm had spread across her chest and throughout her body. Feeling something wet on her cheek she lifted her hand to her face. She was crying.

Her eyes refocused on him, calculating the distance between them. Her throat tightened at the onslaught of emotions she was feeling, "Oliver…I…"

He wanted to reach out to her and finally clear the distance between them but he held himself. He had to tell her all of it before he lost his nerve, "Our world is dangerous. You know. I know that. But I can't get you out of my head. I don't want to. And I'm sorry for the other day. You didn't deserve my anger or my insecurities about us. I was the one that was feeling again and felt like I was vulnerable. I was the one who was scared that the things Anatoly has made me do or watch would come back to you. I was the one that was scared that the woman he loved would leave him after they were done with their 'mission' because who would want a broken toy like the Crow. It was all me, Felicity."

The tears came unbidden when he looked at her with imploring eyes, tears shinning in his blue eyes to match her own.

They stood in silence for a few seconds. The depth of everything that Oliver had confessed hitting her hard. He was afraid, as afraid of everything as she was. Afraid that they would part ways after this was done. Afraid of the weight of their feelings. Afraid of what the Bratva and its world would do to them. Afraid of how things were changing. To top it off Oliver carried so much guilt inside of him, so much pain and regret that The Crow had consumed that something as new and bright as love scared him. But she knew the man that Oliver Queen was, the man behind the mask, the man that...she had fallen in love with as well.

"You're wrong, you know? You won't lose me," she whispered, her voice trembling, as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

"Haven't I already?" Oliver asked, letting it all show. The fear of losing her, to having his heart crushed by her rejection, and most of all, his love for her. There were no walls anymore.

"I…," she didn't know how to continue. She stood frozen, her body trembling, her heart jumping inside her chest. Listening to Oliver say all of those things, to open himself up with all of those fears and insecurities. It was everything she dreamt about, but something held her back. Something telling her that maybe this was a dream. That somehow it wasn't real.

"It is real," Oliver said, reaching forward hesitantly to wipe a tear away.

"What?" She hadn't realized she'd spoken aloud.

"I know that you felt the same thing I felt when we kissed. I know you feel that things are changing between us. I know that you want me as much as I want you," Oliver whispered, trailing his thumb across her cheek, and leaving a warm trail. He tucked a fallen strand of hair from her bun behind her ear before finally going for it and cupping her cheek. Despite her control she felt herself nuzzle it slightly, "What I can't understand is why you're fighting this."

"Oliver, please," she began again. Could she do this, could she put her heart on the line like he had? Could she risk losing herself over it?

He took the final steps towards her and placed his other hand on her other cheek. Tilting her face up he said, "I know you're scared. I am too. But this is the first real thing I have felt in a long time. Don't shut me out."

Despite his hold on her face, the closeness of his body, and his confessions, she still tried to grasp at straws, "We shouldn't do this. It's better if we forgot it ever happened. We were playing our parts for your psycho uncle, and we blurred the lines. You know this. Just let it go, Oliver."

"I can't let it go. I won't. You know how I feel about you. I won't let you run away from it, not this time"

"Don't you see this will make things harder than they already are?" she asked, placing her hands on top of the ones on her face, ready to pull them off. She could feel her hold begin to loosen on her thoughts. She just didn't want to get hurt anymore. And this love with Oliver could hurt her. It already did the day that he lashed out on her.

He ducked down to meet her eyes "Can't get harder than this. I'm not pretending anymore. I want to be with you. Do you want to be with me?" he asked, and for the first time, Oliver was afraid that maybe his feelings were one sided.

The look in his eyes…it hurt her. He wasn't giving up on her despite the fact that she was scared. He was asking her if she wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her despite all the trouble that might come their way? If she loved him as much as he loved her? If she would stand with him on this? Everything crumbled inside her when she realized that she did. She wanted all of it with him.

Closing her eyes she leaned her head forward and rested her forehead against his. She didn't say anything for a few beats, collecting herself and what she was going to say. He kept quiet, hands on her face, forehead pressed against hers as she shook, "We started this as a deal. A way to avenge those that we lost."

His thumbs moved over cheeks calmly, letting her speak, "After losing them…my family…I came to you for help. I expected things to be hard, to be difficult. What I didn't expect was you. You were so hard and cold. Pushing people away as hard as you could. Pushing me away. And it didn't just hit me one day, that I cared for you."

His shoulders relaxed almost immediately and he pressed closer to her body, listening intently.

"It came over time. Beneath all that crap and cold you fed me…you were a good man. A man who laughed, a man who smiled. A man I could connect too and feel safe with; feel wanted," she said in a rushed breath, squeezing her eyes tight as a fresh wave of tears hit her, "I've been alone for the longest time. Lost people like…Cooper, Sin, my family. And I just…I've become so used to that kind of life. Where you get let down, abandoned. And like you…I'm scared."

A small cry left her and he shushed her, "It's ok."

She could feel his words close to her mouth, warm breath reminding her that there was little distance between them, "You see the good in me. You see the person that I am, smart mouth and everything. I…don't want to pretend anymore. I don't want to think that this might be a dream that I'm going to wake up from where I'm alone again…not loved."

"You won't be. This is real," he assured lightly. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, "I won't let anything happen to you."

Both knew that the things could change at any second and that he might not be able to keep his promise, but neither spoke of it.

Her hands trailed down his arms and grasped his forearms. The last straws of doubt were gone and this was it. "Oliver I…"

"Please, don't ask me to let you go," he muttered, lips grazing hers.

She shook her head, bracing herself. When she had awoken next to him a couple days ago she hadn't known what she was feeling inside, what made her think of him all the time. What made her want to make sure he was ok. She didn't know what the affection he held for him meant. Now she did. The words were right in front of her the whole time.

"I'm not letting you go. Not for an inch, not for a second," she assured, finally reaching out for what she felt for him, what the feelings inside of her was, and holding on tightly to it, "I love you."

He let out a relieved and admittedly shaky happy noise before pressing forward and kissing her. His grip on her tightened and she onto him as they felt like a weight had been lifted off of them. This wasn't like their first kiss, warm mouths pressed against each other because they had too, because they had to put on a show. They were kissing, bodies pressed flush against each other like one of them might disappear, because they wanted too.

Because he loved her.

Because she loved him.

Felicity kissed him earnestly; warm sparks running down from where he held her. He pressed breathless kisses to her soft and pink mouth, heart feeling at ease with her there. His hands left her face as they lost themselves and wrapped around her waist, bringing her closer as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He stood, her feet now barely touching the ground as he explored her mouth, tongue coming out to graze her lips before delving inside. The momentum grew and the kiss became more reckless, more consuming, more happy. They were memorizing each other's mouths, memorizing each other's lips, each other's touch.

Every stupid fight, every smile, every shared joke, every time they poked fun at each other, every time they had trusted each other, every time they had cared...had lead to this.

This wasn't a dream. This was real.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you guys liked this chapter! They are back in Starling City and back on track with some new developments between them! Thank you for reading and reviewing (if you do, we live off of them.) See you next week!**

**Love,**

**PoisonAngelMuse & TheAlternativeSource**


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